Aaron Judge has missed much of the season with an injury that has left the New York Yankees without one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of baseball.
His absence should be over soon. His return is looming.
The Yankees have stayed in solid position without Judge, keeping strong hold of a Wild Card spot and still being within striking distance of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East Division.
Everything will feel a little better if, and when, big No. 99 returns to the Yankees lineup.
The latest update is quite positive.
Aaron Judge Injury Update
The latest update came on Sunday from Greg Joyce of the New York Post.
“The endgame is near for Aaron Judge,” Joyce wrote to begin his article.
Joyce notes that Judge took batting practice on the field for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
“(It was) part of another busy day of full baseball activities as he tries to build up his endurance with just about all of the physical boxes checked off ahead of his potential return next week,” Joyce writes.
Joyce adds that Judge simply has to face live pitching, and he notes that the Yankees want it to happen on Monday, which is an off-day on their calendar.
“He’s physically to the finish line, where he needs to be, but it’s about just doing it a lot, because that’s ultimately what you’re trying to replicate is being out there for nine innings where you’re playing for three hours and sit down, get up, those kind of things,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Saturday. “Just replicating that. So we’re getting to that point with the volume. He ran bases again today. He’s in a good spot.”
That has to be just about what the Yankees’ fanbase wants to hear.
What Is Aaron Judge’s Injury?
Judge has been out since early June due to a fracture to the first rib on his right side.
The slugger has previously indicated to reporters that he doesn’t want a rehab assignment, which raises some different kinds of options for easing him back into the lineup.
“The Yankees could finish off his buildup in the big leagues during the homestand against the Rockies and Mets, like having him play a game and then take a day off, or playing five to seven innings in the field his first few games back,” Joyce writes.
If the Yankees had Judge back in the lineup, the mood in the ballpark would be just even that little bit more intense.
Aaron Judge’s Return Is Very Close For Yankees