The New York Yankees are sitting pretty, first in the MLB American League East with a healthy 61-26 record and it will take the Tampa Bay Rays a miracle to reach them in the top spot.
Being the best in the AL allows the Yankees to think beyond just the next game and it gives manager Aaron Boone an opportunity to rest and manage players during the course of the season.
In the case of Aaron Judge, Aaron Boone is being extra careful as he did not allow Judge to play on Tuesday night and the first game against Boston. The Yankees next play the Cincinnati Reds where the Yankees are a 1.30 favorite to the 3.60 Reds.
Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge’s health status
The Yankees manager stated to the New York Daily News on his player’s calf injury, “I would say kind of through it a little bit‚ too.. I just felt like we’re gonna take advantage of this off day (on Monday) with the idea of playing five straight into the All-Star Game, so just being cautious with it. It’s striking that balance between obviously the urgency of the day and the long game here. Just trying to be smart with that.”
Despite the injury issues Judge is leading the majors in home runs with 30, and Boone told the press all of this time management was in the plans, “I just kind of had a conversation with (Judge) a little bit on the plane coming home and he wants to be in there, but then I think he understands it, too,” Boone said.
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