New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has dropped a major injury update on Aaron Judge.
The New York Yankees are currently fighting to make the playoffs, with the team likely being a wild-card team barring any major changes.
But the team has been without star Aaron Judge for months, leading to some problems, especially on offense. However, it seems that the slugger may not be too far off from a return, and this could provide the team with a spark.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone discussed the injury to the slugger, saying that he is scheduled to face live pitching early next week. Judge would need to have this take place at least two times before he could be activated.
The injury has taken a lot longer than expected to be dealt with, with Judge being frustrated with the situation. The slugger opened up about his feelings on the entire injury recovery.
“I’m mad how long it has taken,” Judge said. “It is what it is. I wish it was real two months ago, but we’re at this point [now]. We’re getting close. I can’t wait to be back out there.”
Before he went down with the injury, Judge was putting together another nice season for the Yankees. The slugger was hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .908.
Judge coming back for the final few weeks could help the Yankees greatly, giving them their leader back in the lineup. New York has struggled without Judge, seeing the offense sink toward the bottom in batting average, on-base percentage (OBP), and overall OPS.
The Yankees won't be sending Judge down to the minor leagues ahead of his return. New York wants to get its star back on the field as quickly as possible.
Judge was seen running the bases in San Diego on Friday, while also doing a workout and taking some fly balls. He is gearing up for a return, which could happen in the not-too-distant future.
“We’re hitting all the baseball stuff,” Judge said. “Throwing to bases, throwing, running the bases. Hitting, getting on the field, moving around. I think [we need to] face some live pitching and then I’ll get back out there.
As with every season for the Yankees, winning the World Series is the only goal for this franchise. New York hasn't won since 2009, which is an eternity for the historic organization.
The patience has been tested by the fan base, but a return from Judge could give the Yankees the boost they've needed. His status remains uncertain, but the progress is positive, with the Yankees star likely coming back soon.
