Judge Returns to Right Field After Elbow Injury
Aaron Judge made his return to right field on Friday night, following a flexor strain in his elbow that occurred on July 25th.
The Yankees are facing critical decisions as they approach the final stretch of the season, though the team’s strategy remains uncertain.
Judge’s return didn’t start smoothly. During the first inning, he made a soft throw to Jazz Chisholm Jr. in connection with Nathan Lukes’ two-run single, but later, both he and Chisholm misplayed a pop-up from Beau Bichette, contributing to a 7-1 loss against the Blue Jays in the Bronx.
After the game, Judge asserted that he was physically capable of throwing normally.
“If I didn’t feel good, I wouldn’t be out there,” Judge stated.
Reflecting on his first-inning play, where he seemed tentative, Judge mentioned that he considered diving for the ball, which influenced how he made the throw.
“The ball dropped, and I made the throw to the cutoff,” he explained, speaking about Chisholm.
He showed more strength later in the game when he threw Daulton Varsho’s RBI double with greater force in the ninth inning.
Manager Aaron Boone noted, “He’s here, and we’re hopeful he continues to improve.”
Before the game, Boone was asked if he felt nervous the first few times Judge had to throw. He admitted, “That’s true at first. He’s worked really hard to reach this point. We will definitely be cautious and monitor his recovery.”
Boone also indicated that Judge might not be in the outfield every game, saying, “I’m not committed to that yet.”
Judge expressed his desire to be on the field “as much as possible,” but it might be more realistic to expect Giancarlo Stanton to take on more outfield duties, a scenario the Yankees had anticipated since the return to defense nearly a month ago.
With Judge back, Stanton served as the designated hitter after playing three consecutive games in left field.
Boone remarked, “[Stanton] being involved is obviously significant. It seems like a shared responsibility. We’ll see how Aaron responds during these games.”
Regarding the extent of Judge’s defensive play, Boone kept it vague, saying, “We’ll see.”
Lewis Rojas, who assisted Judge in his rehabilitation, mentioned that while Judge hadn’t been throwing hard in practice, he feels confident the team knows his abilities. Rojas acknowledged, “He’s a veteran player; he knows his body well. We trust him, though I’m unsure he’ll throw at full speed like in the past.”
This included Judge making five throws from right field to home plate prior to Thursday’s game in Houston.
Austin Slater, who recently returned from a tense left hamstring, also experienced an elbow flexor strain and was limited to designated hitter duties for the Giants. He reflected, “Each injury is unique. Recovery timelines can vary widely based on individual reactions and different factors impacting return speed.”
Slater had a strong offensive season, noting that his injury didn’t affect his performance at the plate.
Since coming back from the injured list on August 5th, Judge has maintained a solid performance; prior to his injury, he had an OPS of 1.160, while entering Friday’s game with an OPS of .888.
