NEW YORK — Aaron Judge, the captain of the New York Yankees, received encouraging news regarding his right elbow injury after undergoing an MRI on Saturday. The tests revealed a flexor strain but no serious damage to the ulnar collateral ligament, easing concerns about a prolonged absence from the lineup.
This diagnosis came just before the Yankees faced the Philadelphia Phillies, a game that marked Judge’s second absence this season, resulting in a 9-4 defeat for New York. The two-time AL MVP will be placed on the injured list but hopes to return within 10 to 14 days, starting as a designated hitter.
“I was pretty apprehensive about going for the MRI,” Judge admitted. “Not knowing the results can be a bit stressful, but at least now we know what we’re dealing with.”
Despite the injury, Judge is having an outstanding season, leading the majors with a .342 batting average and a 1.160 OPS. He has contributed significantly to the Yankees with 37 home runs and 85 RBIs. However, the Yankees find themselves struggling, recently falling 6.5 games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays after entering May with a seven-game lead in the AL East.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed relief at the test results, noting, “All in all, we got good news today. I think all of us kind of feared the worst.” Boone had been particularly concerned given Judge’s history of toughness, as he reported difficulty throwing during Friday’s game against the Phillies.
“I couldn’t throw past 60 feet,” Judge recalled. “I didn’t want to compromise our pitchers, especially against a team like the Phillies that can hit. It was important for me to not jeopardize the game for anyone else.”
The MRI results came shortly before Saturday’s game, during a period of further evaluation by the team’s doctors. Boone stressed the importance of giving Judge time to heal properly, stating that playing through the injury could risk further complications.
In the interim, Judge is not expected to throw for at least 10 to 14 days and will then require additional time to regain his throwing strength before returning to the outfield. The Yankees may consider calling up prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but Boone indicated it was too early to make a decision.
“Once this next period is over, I think I’ll step into the designated hitter role,” Judge said, remaining optimistic about his return. In response to Judge’s absence, Giancarlo Stanton is set to start working out in the outfield next week to help fill the gap.
“It’s never a relief knowing he’s going to be out at all, but under the circumstances, we’ll take it,” Stanton remarked.
Judge first felt discomfort while attempting to make a play during the sixth inning of a game against Toronto, where he made a strong throw to home plate but felt pain afterwards. Moments later, he was caught on camera grimacing following a catch.
“Seeing Aaron show any sign of pain is a concern,” Boone noted. “We took the necessary steps to ensure he gets the right care and diagnosis.”
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