Yankees Injury Updates: Judge on IL, Chisholm and Grisham Making Progress

PHOENIX — Aaron Judge is sidelined once again, but there’s some hope for the Yankees as they expect to have two crucial players return from the injured list soon.

Aaron Boone mentioned on Friday that Jazz Chisholm Jr. is likely to be activated during the homestand starting Tuesday, after being placed on the IL last week due to a sprained right thumb.

Chisholm has been hitting for four consecutive days now, following a brief pause in his baseball activities, and he’s been throwing as well. That’s a good sign for the Yankees.

“He’s getting very close,” Boone noted prior to the Yankees’ 9-2 victory over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Meanwhile, Trent Grisham is progressing well with his running routine after recovering from a right hamstring strain. Boone stated that Grisham is in a favorable position to potentially contribute towards the end of the regular season.

Before Judge’s calf strain, it seemed uncertain if Grisham would get a chance to play upon his return.

Now, though, it appears he might reclaim his spot in center field against right-handers, which could shift Spencer Jones over to right field.

As for Ryan Weathers, who’s also aiming to return in time for the playoffs because of a left forearm flexor strain, Boone acknowledged that it’s “unlikely” he will play before the season wraps up.

Weathers is slated for a second bullpen session on Saturday, and depending on how that goes, he might then face hitters during live batting practice.

Whether he’ll have enough time to prove himself worthy of a spot in the bullpen for the first playoff round remains uncertain.

“We’ll see what our needs are and how he looks, and if we feel like he’s ready to come in and be a contributor,” Boone commented.

On another note, Anthony Volpe, who returned to second base, has been impressive, hitting .348 with a .965 OPS and stealing four bases in his first seven games since being called back up from Triple-A as a replacement for Chisholm.

However, he went 0-for-4 in Friday night’s win.