Yankees' Aaron Judge still on track to return when IL stint ends next Tuesday
Aaron Judge of the Yankees looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
After the Yankees placed Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow over the weekend, the overwhelming reaction was relief.
The worst-case situation – a UCL tear and ultimately Tommy John surgery – had been avoided.
Judge would plan to return as a designated hitter after 10 days, and everyone in the Yankees universe could take a collective deep breath.
As of Tuesday, that’s still the plan.
“I think that's the expectation,” manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday night’s game against the Rays at the Stadium. “But we'll listen to the body and the trainers and him and see where we're at. But that's the hope.”
On Sunday, Judge was placed on the IL retroactive to Saturday. He is eligible to return next Tuesday in Texas in the second game of the Yankees’ three-game set against the Rangers.
Judge took swings in the batting cage Tuesday, and he should begin ramping up against the pitching machine as the week continues.
“I think it's this through the mid-week, and then probably start introducing, maybe on the weekend, velo and things like that,” Boone said.
Judge, who also received a platelet-rich plasma injection, said Saturday that he had not had any previous elbow injuries. At the time of the injury, the plan was not to throw for the next 10 days to two weeks.
Boone said the pain mostly affects Judge’s throwing, but it could affect his swing to an extent too.
“I think on some level, there's probably a subtle compromise hitting too, because ... the muscle is where it's involved with the gripping,” Boone said. “So I'm sure there's some level of compromise, but it wasn't something that was too bad.”
Judge is having another MVP-caliber season, posting a .342/.449/.711 slash line with 37 homers, 85 RBIs and 90 runs scored in 103 games.
Gil solid in fourth rehab start
Righthander Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, has been sidelined for the entire season with a right lat strain.
That should change this weekend.
Gil was impressive for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in his fourth and likely final rehab start on Tuesday night. He went 4 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and one run with one walk and seven strikeouts.
He likely will re-join the Yankees' rotation and make his first start Sunday in Miami.
What did Boone want to see from Gil on Tuesday?
“I think for the most part, get through it,” Boone said. “Hopefully successfully and strike-throwing and carrying his stuff throughout the outing. You want to see those things. But also mindful of it is, in a lot of ways, spring training for him and building up. So there's definitely that next level of competitive juices and adrenaline that will be flowing once he gets back up here.”
Remembering Sandberg
The game of baseball lost a legend Monday when Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg died after battling cancer. He was 65.
Sandberg is remembered as a Cub, but he did have a 13-game stint with the Phillies in 1981. In Philadelphia, he was a teammate of Bob Boone, Aaron’s father.
Aaron Boone recalled memories of Sandberg when asked about him on Tuesday.
“Had his Nike poster on my wall, as well as a number of others when I was 8, 9, 10, 11 years old,” Boone said. “He was coming up when we were still in Philly. So my dad's last year in Philly was ‘81, and he was kind of one of the young prospects that famously, when Dallas Green left, prioritized making sure he got Ryne Sandberg to Chicago, and the rest is history from there.
“And then occasional interactions with him over the years. When he was managing Philly and I was with ESPN, did a handful of his games, so you get that interaction with the manager. Just a really gracious, really great guy gone too early, that obviously had an amazing career. So sad day for our sport, certainly sad day, especially, for the Cubs and what he meant to that franchise. And certainly, thoughts and prayers with him and his family the last couple days.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
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