As the New York Yankees set their sights on the upcoming postseason, an alarming injury scare involving Aaron Judge has raised immediate concerns after the superstar outfielder was pulled early in the series finale against the Minnesota Twins.
Judge was replaced by a pinch hitter in the sixth inning of today’s game in Minnesota with the Yankees trailing 2-0. According to New York Daily News‘ Gary Phillips, Judge exited the contest due to right lower-body tightness.
Uncertainty now hangs over the Bronx as the Yankees prepare for a deep October run. Judge serves as the engine of the offense, and New York’s championship aspirations ultimately rest on the health of their captain.
Despite the encouraging news of Clarke Schmidt returning to the New York Yankees’ rotation, losing Judge could severely compromise the team’s offensive firepower right as the postseason approaches.
Judge’s stats prior to his exit
Judge was pulled from the lineup in the sixth inning. Before his early exit, the slugger had been working his way back to peak form following his recent stint on the Injured List.
Here is how his stat line looked before leaving the game:
- At-Bats (AB): 2
- Hits (H): 0
- Strikeouts (SO): 2 (both against Twins starter Zebby Matthews)
Who pinch-hit for Judge?
Manager Aaron Boone called on Heliot Ramos to pinch-hit for Judge to keep the inning alive. Ramos delivered by drawing a walk, allowing the Yankees to extend their turn at the plate.
NY Yankees hope Aaron Judge’s injury isn’t serious
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, there’s initial hope that Judge doesn’t have anything “too serious” and that his exit from the game may have to do with a precautionary move.
