The New York Yankees’ team leader, Aaron Judge, will likely see a reduction in his throwing activities for the remainder of the current season as he works toward recovery from a flexor issue, according to an announcement made by team manager Aaron Boone on Tuesday morning. Judge was sidelined for a span of 10 days due to this injury, occurring between late July and early August. Since his return, he has been primarily utilized in the designated hitter role. He is currently participating in a throwing program.
“We are striving to reach a point where he can throw without difficulty and in a manner that protects him,” Boone stated on WFAN (as reported by MLB.com). “I don’t anticipate that we’ll witness him throwing with his usual intensity at any point this year, but that’s acceptable. It’s essential that we have confidence in his ability to go out there, protect himself, and perform effectively.”
During his customary pregame media interaction later that day, Boone mentioned to reporters, including those from MLB.com, that he “might” have “exaggerated” the extent to which Judge’s throwing would be limited. Judge himself appeared to share this sentiment.
“I’m uncertain as to why he made that statement,” Judge remarked regarding Boone’s assertion that his throwing would be restricted for the remainder of the season (as per the New York Post). “He hasn’t observed my throwing in the past couple of weeks. I am fairly optimistic that I will regain my full capacity (100%).”
Judge initially sustained the injury while making a throw on July 22. He participated in the right field position two days afterward, although his actions were largely confined to gently tossing the ball into the infield. The Yankees subsequently placed him on the injured list the following day. Assessments confirmed that Judge’s UCL, the ligament addressed in Tommy John surgery, remained intact. The injury is specifically localized to his flexor. The incident occurred at this moment:
Judge has recently extended his throwing distance to 150 feet. He is required to execute throws to the bases before he can be reinstated to the outfield, and Boone did not provide a specific timeline for when this is expected to occur. Whenever his return to the outfield does materialize, anticipate that opposing teams will assess Judge’s throwing ability and exert pressure on the bases. As per Statcast data, Judge’s typical competitive throw registers at 90.4 mph this year, precisely aligning with the average for right fielders.
With Judge’s usage limited to the DH role, the Yankees strategically positioned Giancarlo Stanton in right field during the previous week, marking his first appearance in that position since September 2023. He initiated four games in right field over a five-day stretch last week, although lingering discomfort in his legs compelled Stanton to sit out the recent three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Stanton is listed in Tuesday’s lineup, once again playing right field.
Judge has recorded 8 hits in 25 at-bats (.229 batting average), accompanied by two home runs and a higher count of walks (12) compared to strikeouts (nine) in the 11 games since his return from the injured list. Stanton has also been performing strongly at the plate, hitting .299/.377/.576 with 12 home runs in 44 games this year. As the Yankees are engaged in a postseason pursuit, the presence of both players in the lineup is deemed essential, thus explaining Stanton’s deployment in right field.
As the Yankees commence play on Tuesday, they hold a record of 67-57, marginally ahead of the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners in the race for the top wild card spot. New York has secured victories in five of their most recent six games and are positioned five games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East standings.
