The New York Yankees will be without Aaron Judge for an extended period.
The organization disclosed that Judge received a diagnosis of a stress fracture in his right side’s first rib. Reports indicate he is slated for re-evaluation within four to six weeks and is anticipated to make a comeback later in the current season.
Since May 31, Judge has been absent from games, during which time the Yankees’ medical personnel worked to pinpoint the exact nature of his condition. Initially, the outfielder had been identified with a bone bruise near his right rib cage, following weeks of feeling pain in his right shoulder.
Despite previously being classified as day-to-day, the Yankees are expected to transfer him to the injured list prior to their upcoming game on Thursday.
While being without Judge for over a month is a significant setback, the situation could have been more severe. Earlier on Thursday, news surfaced that a specialist in thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that can often end careers for pitchers and poses a serious threat to position players, was examining Judge’s test outcomes.
In 59 appearances this season, Judge has maintained a batting average of .248, accumulating 17 home runs and driving in 38 runs.
Earlier this week, Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole commented, “Aaron clearly holds immense value for our team. He consistently delivers outstanding baseball and infuses the team with tremendous vitality. Injuries are difficult, but regrettably, they are inherent to the sport. As a collective, we must discover how to rise to the occasion in such circumstances, and that is precisely our intention.”
The pain seems to have impacted Judge’s offensive performance, given that the Yankees’ captain has hit .206, recording a single home run, eight RBI, and 19 strikeouts since May 11.
José Caballero has been covering right field during Judge’s absence, although Jasson Dominguez is anticipated to be the preferred option for that position upon his recovery from a shoulder sprain later this month.
This development also reconfigures the competition for the AL MVP award, an honor Judge has secured in the previous two seasons and in three of the last four.
