For just the second time this season, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is not in the starting lineup.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Judge is dealing with a right elbow “issue” and underwent imaging tests Saturday morning before being sidelined in the matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Judge was reportedly feeling discomfort in his elbow for the second time this week after throwing the baseball in Friday night’s loss. Boone told the media that Judge would meet with Yankees head team physician Christopher Ahmad, a top Tommy John surgeon, at the stadium on Saturday.
“He couldn’t really get the ball in very well,” Boone said. “So, [we] felt like we wanted to have him down and get the imaging, get our hands around just what exactly we’re dealing with.”
Boone said he did not know if Judge’s elbow irritation would require Tommy John surgery. But just the prospect of that is enough to put a spook into Yankees fans.
Losing Judge for the season would be a massive blow to the Yankees, who are currently in a bit of a pitfall even with him in the lineup. The Yankees are 14-22 since June 13 and have watched their lead in the American League East dissipate, as the Toronto Blue Jays are now in first place with the best record in baseball.
The two-time American League MVP is currently the front-runner to win the award again. He’s leading the league in batting average (.342) and has 37 home runs.
If Judge misses extended time, it could alter how the Yankees approach Thursday’s MLB trade deadline. It was expected that general manager Brian Cashman would be a buyer at the deadline, and the Yankees cemented that feeling when they acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the lowly, rebuilding Colorado Rockies for two minor league pitching prospects.
But without Judge?
The Yankees could pull back from their pursuit of adding pitching, both starters and relievers. ESPN also reported that they could be looking to buy a right-handed infield bat. That all changes without Judge available. He means that much.
They are currently 5.5 games behind the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. It’s not an insurmountable division lead, but as the calendar is ready to flip to August, the Yankees will certainly want to make up some ground.
New York currently holds the top wild-card spot in the American League by two games. Behind them are the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox, who are just five and six games above .500, respectively.
“Hopefully it’s something manageable and we could get through it,” Boone said.
Yankees fans everywhere will certainly be holding onto that same exact hope, anxiously awaiting an update on Judge’s health and status.
