Aaron Judge continues to work his way back onto the New York Yankees‘ lineup after suffering a fractured right rib. Recently, Aaron Boone revealed another important step in Judge’s recovery, as the star outfielder has resumed some light throwing and catching activities. When exactly Judge may make his long-awaited MLB return, however, remains uncertain. Boone didn’t dare to set a definite timeline.
“Aaron Boone said a timeline of a month ‘could be’ in play, though nothing is set in stone,” as reported by Gary Phillips from New York Daily News Sports on X.
The Yankees‘ manager avoided setting a formal one-month window for Judge’s return but did hint at it. It would be on par with the initial reports regarding the star slugger’s injury and projected comeback. Many reports suggested Judge would be back in mid-September, and Boone‘s timeline—uncertain and tentative as it was—would put him on track for that return.
NY Yankees are missing Judge
The Pinstripers desperately need Judge back. As of late, the at-bats have turned dry, leading to Gerrit Cole urging the offense to step up its production amid the absences. The recent hardships have also led to a mea culpa, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. got brutally honest about his struggles.
Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees.
So far, the self-criticism has yet to translate into better results, though. As much as the Yankees yearn for Judge’s return—along with Cody Bellinger’s and Giancarlo Stanton’s—they know better than to rush their stars back, and Boone made that clear as well.
“We expect him back, but we’re in the early stages of baseball activity,” Boone stated, via USA Today, about Judge’s injury recovery. “Hopefully things continue to go well.”
NY Yankees won’t rush Judge
Timelines aren’t entirely solid, least of all those announced as tentatively as Judge’s latest one, and if the player isn’t fully healthy by the time the original target date arrives, New York will take as much time as he needs.
The Bronx Bombers themselves may not have that much time amid a heated postseason race, but that’s a different story. Whether it could come back to bite them or not, Boone and his staff have made their preference clear.
Regardless of what happens next, the Yankees must lie in the bed they’ve made and hope for a good night’s rest, even in the City That Never Sleeps.
