Yankees Continue Investigation into Aaron Judge’s Injury

The fourth day of seeking clarity on Aaron Judge’s injury brought more uncertainty. However, one detail has raised some eyebrows.

As of Thursday afternoon, Dr. Gregory Perle, an expert in complex vascular procedures and management of thoracic outlet syndrome for high-performance athletes, was consulting on Judge’s tests, according to his clinic’s website.

This second opinion seems focused on ruling out severe issues like thoracic outlet syndrome, which typically affects pitchers and may need surgical intervention. Nonetheless, the Yankees are still in a waiting phase as they try to pinpoint the issue affecting their three-time American League MVP.

“As soon as I know something, I’ll share it with you,” manager Aaron Boone stated after a 2-1 victory over the Guardians. “I honestly wanted to walk in here with some definitive news.” He added, “I checked during the game and asked about it. We’re just waiting for a specialist to provide insight. So, patience is the name of the game.”

This injury saga has loomed heavily over the Yankees this week.

Judge, who has been grappling with shoulder pain impacting his swing, had an initial examination on Monday where the team disclosed a bone bruise near his right rib cage.

He saw the Yankees’ team doctor on Tuesday, and by Wednesday underwent imaging tests by Dr. Perle, which prompted further tests, including another MRI and a CT scan, on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Ultimately, the pressing question appears to be whether Judge will need to go on the disabled list and, if so, how long he might be sidelined. As of Thursday, the team had not arrived at any conclusion.

“It’s a complicated area and I think there’s some swelling that is making things more challenging for the specialists,” Boone remarked, adding, “I’m obviously not a doctor, so I can’t fully grasp all of it. But there are many experts involved to ensure we get a correct diagnosis.”

Recently, former Mets player Jeff McNeil also dealt with thoracic outlet syndrome, having surgery in October but returning for spring training with the Athletics. There are others, like Mike Zunino and Jared Walsh, who also faced similar surgeries and subsequent lengthy recoveries.

To lose a player of Judge’s caliber at any moment would be a setback for the Yankees, especially given his performance while injured last season. However, the reality remains unclear; is this a temporary issue, or something more significant?

“It’s certainly disappointing not to have a three-time MVP in our lineup,” Jazz Chisholm Jr. commented. “But we can’t let that be an excuse. We need to go out there and get the job done.”