Aaron Judge Injury Update: Latest health status and predicted recovery period of Yankees captain
While the New York Yankees struggle and fall in the AL East standings, there is some reason for optimism as Aaron Judge gets closer to making his injury comeback.
The star outfielder, who has been out since June 3 with a sprained big right toe, is still committed to making a successful return to the lineup.
As Judge ran a baseball camp at Fordham University for his All Rise Foundation, his optimism was evident. He recently started running the bases and feels like he is nearing a comeback. He doesn't, however, have a specific return date.
The Yankees are struggling and are last in their division, so Judge's absence from the field is noticeably felt. The team has had trouble getting going even after hitting coach Dillon Lawson was replaced by Sean Casey.
Despite this, Judge continues to have faith in his teammates' resiliency and wisdom and believes they can make things right. He expressed his discomfort at having to observe the team's difficulties from the sidelines while reiterating his desire to return to play and help the team turn things around.
Fans of the Yankees eagerly anticipate Judge's return as the Subway Series against the Mets draws closer in the hopes that his presence will serve as a catalyst for the team's sorely needed comeback.
Aaron Judge's injury history
Aaron Judge has consistently demonstrated exceptional talent and power on the baseball diamond. But along the way, he has suffered a string of injuries.
When an oblique strain in September 2016 ended his first taste of the majors, everything changed. Judge only had 84 at-bats despite showing promise, but had 42 strikeouts.
After an outstanding Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017, Judge underwent left shoulder arthroscopic surgery that November. He struggled after the All-Star break while fighting through the injury, which hurt his performance.
In July 2018, he experienced a further setback when a fastball fractured his right wrist, forcing him to miss nearly two months. Judge was left wanting more after the Yankees' hopes for the postseason were dashed.
Judge's progress was hampered in April 2019 by an oblique strain, and he did not return until late June.
Judge experienced a similar turbulent year in 2020 with a pectoral problem in spring training and a subsequent calf strain in August.
In 2023, after suffering a hip strain, Judge once again found himself on the IL. He made a determined comeback, however, and did so within the allotted 10-day period.