Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been out since May 31, and it appears his absence will be extended. The team recently announced that they are moving their star slugger to the 60-day IL following the latest scans of the injured ribs, which showed slight healing. However, the organization has yet to clear him for any baseball activities.
The Bronx Bombers began the second half of their season with a series loss to the Dodgers at home. While they have some strength in the batting of Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice, Judge’s presence in the lineup and his leadership in the clubhouse remain crucial.
During a recent discussion about the Yankees’ potential to reach the World Series this season and the significance of their captain, former Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer shared his candid views in an active exchange with Steven Cheah, Barstool Sports’ VP of Football Operations.
“Can they survive? Yes. Can they win and catch the Rays without Aaron Judge? Absolutely not. No chance, Cheah. This guy, number 99, again, like, he changes not only the Yankees’ lineup, but I mean, you saw what it did to the MVP odds once he became injured and everybody else came into play. So the Yankees, man, like they got the pitching to do it, but they need that lineup,” Hosmer said.
“They need 99 in that lineup. Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice, like you mentioned, are absolute studs. Ben Rice has some serious exit velocity. If you’re into those new metrics, it comes off his bat hot, and he hits the ball hard. So they got some studs in that lineup. They got pitching, but no, Cheah, they cannot win without Aaron Judge,” he added.
Bradley Hanner Signed By Yankees As Aaron Judge Moves To IL
To strengthen their bullpen depth, the Yankees signed RHP Bradley Hanner to a major league deal but have optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he had been previously pitching this season. The official contract now places him on the 40-man roster, following Judge’s placement on the 60-day IL.
Regarding the three-time MVP, the team announced that he will undergo routine imaging of his injured ribs to monitor his recovery. Judge compiled a solid stat line with a .248 batting average, 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, and 53 hits before sustaining a rib injury in May.
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