Yankees slugger Aaron Judge will be placed on the injured list with a flexor strain, manager Aaron Boone announced Saturday after his team’s 9-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium.
Judge was absent from Saturday’s lineup due to an elbow issue, according to Boone, and underwent imaging. The star player faced difficulties throwing from the outfield in the Yankees’ 12-5 loss to the Phillies on Friday. He noticed discomfort following a throw earlier in the week during the road series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The imaging showed that Judge’s ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is strained but intact. He is expected to return this season.
This injury comes at a challenging time for the Yankees, who are six games behind the first-place Blue Jays in the American League East and are only eight games above .500 after a 3-7 stretch.
Judge’s injury started with a throw in Toronto. He mentioned feeling “a little something” when attempting to throw out a Blue Jays runner at the plate.
Athletes often experience minor issues throughout the season, so Judge didn’t initially think it was significant.
“It zinged him,” Boone commented. “It hurt.”
When asked if Judge’s discomfort persisted after the throw in Toronto, Boone said he “didn’t know about that.”
“I think he was like, when not throwing and stuff, okay,” Boone stated.
Judge appeared to be “good to go” on New York’s off day before their series against the Phillies. However, on Friday night, he struggled to throw the ball.
“It came down to a point where, if I got to make a play for the team and not be able to do it,” Judge explained, “That would kind of hurt.”
Judge’s UCL is okay. Boone mentioned that continued play could have jeopardized it.
Boone said Judge was “okay” swinging the bat. The Yankees considered using Judge as a designated hitter but ultimately decided on an IL stint to aid his flexor tendon recovery.
The fact that Judge’s UCL is intact is a relief for the Yankees, who are without ace Gerrit Cole due to Tommy John surgery.
“Best case,” Giancarlo Stanton remarked.
In the immediate future, Judge’s absence creates a significant gap in the Yankees’ lineup and clubhouse.
Boone mentioned that Stanton, usually the designated hitter, may move to the outfield if Judge returns as a DH. Stanton has not played a defensive position since 2023 due to injury history.
“G will probably start to get some work out there,” Boone said. “Just to see if it needs to be an option once we get to that point when Aaron’s back.”
“Whatever’s going to put us in the best opportunity to win,” Stanton said. “I believe that’s going to be for me to be in the outfield.”
Stanton added that he would work out in the outfield this week and be ready when needed.
Judge is not worried about the lineup in his absence. He referred to the 2019 Yankees, who set a record for the most injured players in a single season but won 103 games and advanced to the ALCS, as a model for his teammates.
“I always go back to that 2019 team,” Judge said. “I feel like everybody got banged up and we had so many guys step up for us and play bigger roles than what they signed up for.
“Guys are going to step up and do their job. That’s what it comes down to.”
If it were up to Judge, he’d be DHing now.
The Yankees expect Judge to return soon after his 10-day IL stint. Boone indicated Judge would likely come back as a DH and begin throwing around then, aiming to return to the outfield shortly after.
Boone said Judge would start the IL stint with “a few days down” and treatments. Following that, he hopes Judge will resume swinging a bat and “see where things are” at the 10-day mark.
Judge doesn’t plan to throw for 10 days to two weeks. His return depends on his throwing progression.
“I could be on that 15th day playing catch, and be like, ‘Wow, this feels brand new, like normal,’” Judge said. “And kind of progress from there. But they really haven’t yet set up a timeline for me on that. I was more focused about when I could get back in and start hitting.”
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