Although playing without Aaron Judge is far from ideal, the New York Yankees have no choice but to move forward.
October isn’t too far away, and one insider is now delivering a brutal reality check to the Yankees as their star slugger watches from the sidelines.
Yankees’ October Run Depends on Judge’s Status
GettyAaron Judge’s status will largely determine how the New York Yankees approach the postseason
On Aug. 13, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report shared a sharp statement to sum up where the New York franchise stands right now.
To put it bluntly, he wrote, “Whether they can do damage in October will likely come down to whether three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge—who has been sidelined since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right ribcage—returns this season.”
For reference, FanGraphs gives the Yankees a 99.7% chance of making the playoffs and a 9.0% chance of winning the World Series.
Regardless of Judge’s status, New York is in a solid position. However, it’s no secret they’d be in an even stronger spot if they had the 34-year-old slugger at the plate.
As Kelly noted, “… There’s just no way to replace that guy.”
Before Judge was sent to the IL, he was slashing .248/.375/.533 with a .908 OPS and 17 homers through 59 games. He recorded 10 doubles and 38 RBIs.
His injury report was last updated on Aug. 5, stating, “Cleared for light exercises, including outdoor running and upper-body resistance training, after undergoing imaging Aug. 4. Performed on-field running Aug. 5. Rib is not completely healed, but this is a first step toward baseball activities; Judge has not swung a bat since May 31.”
Judge is, of course, not alone on the IL; at this time, he is accompanied by notable names including Cody Bellinger (left hamstring strain), Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) and Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation).
Where the Yankees Stand Right Now
GettyThe New York Yankees are left to continue navigating their summer scheduling without Aaron Judge at the plate
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, New York pulled off a 10-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners
They are now approaching their series finale at Yankee Stadium, scheduled for Thursday at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Following this clash, New York will head to Rogers Centre to take on the Toronto Blue Jays for a set. The series opener is on the board for Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Looking at the American League East, the Yankees are second at 68-52 overall, while the Blue Jays are second-to-last at 59-63.
They’ve just barely edged out the Baltimore Orioles (58-63).
The Tampa Bay Rays (74-46) continue to lead the division by a significant margin.
In the MLB standings, the Yankees are sixth. They trail the Chicago Cubs (71-50), the Los Angeles Dodgers (73-48), the Atlanta Braves (73-48), the Milwaukee Brewers (74-47) and the Rays.
All things considered, and taking the crippling IL into account, New York has been holding itself up quite well the majority of the season thus far.
Losing key names tends to knock organizations down, and while this hasn’t been a seamless campaign for the Yankees, they could be in a far worse position at this point.
New York Yankees Face Sharp Reality Check With Aaron Judge’s Uncertain Future