New York Yankees superstar outfielder Aaron Judge is reportedly moving in the right direction regarding his recovery from a toe injury.
According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, Judge is making “progress toward a return,” and while there is no exact timetable for when he will be back, there is “continued optimism that he will be an impactful part of the Yankees’ lineup in the second half.”
Judge was placed on the injured list on June 6 with an injury to his right big toe, and the slugger later revealed that he suffered a torn ligament in the toe.
Judge got injured during a June 3 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium when he made a spectacular catch in right field:
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AARON JUDGE, WHAT A GRAB! pic.twitter.com/snlOXLbt4f
The 6’7″ star crashed into the fence and broke open the door to the bullpen, causing him to stumble awkwardly.
The Yankees have been without their best player ever since, and the results have been far from ideal, as they are only 13-14 without Judge over the past month.
Perhaps the low point of Judge’s time on the IL came Thursday night when the Yankees were blown out 14-1 at home by the American League East rival Baltimore Orioles.
The defeat dropped the Bronx Bombers into a tie with the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final wild-card spot in the AL.
Last season was a magical one for Judge, who smacked a single-season AL record 62 home runs to go along with an AL-leading 131 RBI, 133 runs and 111 walks. He also led the AL with a .425 on-base percentage and fell just short of the Triple Crown, hitting .311.
The 2022 AL MVP was off to another amazing start this season, slashing .291/.404/.674 with 19 homers, 40 RBI and 42 runs scored in just 49 games.
Also, New York was 30-19 with Judge in the lineup, meaning it has gone from one of the AL’s top teams to an average team at best during his absence.
Once the Yanks finish off a three-game home set against the Chicago Cubs this weekend, they will have four days off for the All-Star break before returning to action on June 14.
Judge said earlier this week that while he resumed hitting off a tee, the toe injury has still rendered him unable to run.
That suggests his return may not exactly be on the horizon, but the All-Star break will provide the Yankees with some much-needed time off and a chance to recalibrate regardless of when Judge comes back.
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