Aaron Judge Misses Yankees-Phillies Game Due to Elbow Injury
Aaron Judge did not play in Saturday's matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies, prompting the New York Yankees to seek imaging for his right elbow. This injury adds to the team's woes as they have been slipping in the standings for the past two months.
The news of Judge's injury follows the Yankees' recent acquisition of infielder Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, indicating a shift in strategy as they attempt to bolster their roster.
"Obviously concerned," Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding Judge's condition. "We'll wait and see as they read the imaging."
Boone refrained from speculating on whether the injury could involve Judge's ulnar collateral ligament, a critical component for any player reliant on arm strength.
"Hopefully it's something that is manageable and we can get through," he added, expressing cautious optimism about the situation.
Judge, a two-time American League MVP, currently leads the majors with a .342 batting average and an impressive 1.160 OPS. His contributions include 37 home runs and 85 RBIs, vital statistics for a Yankees team that once held a seven-game lead in the AL East but now finds itself 5 1/2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
"He had a throw in Toronto where it zinged him, it hurt," Boone explained, shedding light on the incident that may have led to this latest setback.
Despite the pain, Judge served as designated hitter in Wednesday's finale, a decision Boone stated was pre-planned. However, he returned to right field for Friday's series-opening loss to Philadelphia before being sidelined again.
"Felt like he was fine on the off day and then just last night was really dealing with it. He couldn't really throw well from the outfield," Boone noted, highlighting the sudden change in Judge's condition.
Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad was scheduled to review the imaging results on Saturday, with fans and teammates alike awaiting further updates on Judge's status.
