The New York Yankees were forced to place Aaron Judge back on the IL just a week after he returned from the 60-Day IL with a fractured rib.
He’s now on the IL with a calf strain and is eligible to return with just a couple of games left in the regular season, but it’s unclear if the Yankees will go that route.
Either way, with a postseason berth already locked up, the Yankees’ judgment day is rapidly approaching, and rather shortly they will have to make a decision on Judge.
Well, Yankees pundit Joel Sherman isn’t too optimistic that Judge will even play again this season, regardless of how far the Yankees advance.
More MLB on Heavy: Los Angeles Dodgers Josue De Paula Shares Honest Message
Joel Sherman Thinks Aaron Judge May Not Play Again This Season
Joel Sherman recently said (about Judge):
“There’s some strong possibility that Aaron Judge doesn’t play anymore this season”
It’s a very vague statement by Sherman, but certainly a major warning for Judge and the Yankees.
The good thing for New York is they’ve been without their star slugger for so long this season, and while their World Series chances take a significant hit without Judge, it’s not like this currently constructed roster isn’t used to not having him in the order (for this season at least).
There is growing belief that Aaron Judge may be so hurt that it’s not worth sending him out to play if he’s less than 50%.
More MLB on Heavy: Atlanta Braves Face Major Free Agency Choice on All-Star Pitcher
More on Aaron Judge’s Importance
If the New York Yankees are going to be without Aaron Judge for the rest of the MLB season, it will be all hands on deck for the rest of the squad.
Things tend to be magnified in the MLB playoffs, so there will need to be big swings from other contributors if the Yankees are going to make a deep run behind perhaps the best pitching staff in the playoffs.
With that being said, even if Judge’s playoff numbers don’t necessarily match his regular-season pace, his being in the batting order completely changes the complexity of how the opposing pitching staff targets the Yankees batters.
More MLB on Heavy: New York Mets Trade Pitch Offloads Mark Vientos to Pirates
New York Yankees Issued Major Aaron Judge Warning Amid Injury