Aaron Judge still waiting for green light as rib recovery drags on
The Yankees captain remains out after an All-Star break scan showed only partial healing in his fractured right ribs.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Aaron Judge is still stuck in baseball limbo, with his fractured rib not fully healed and no clearance yet to return to on-field work, according to the Associated Press.
The New York Yankees captain has been out since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right ribs. The AP reported that a scan taken during the All-Star break showed the injury has healed only partially.
Judge said he is waiting for doctors to lay out the next plan, according to the AP. For now, the Yankees remain without their biggest bat as they open the second half against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Manager Aaron Boone said Friday in New York that he still expects Judge to play again this season, even if the timing remains unclear.
“I feel good about the fact that he will be back. It's just a matter of when,” Boone said before the Yankees began a weekend series against the two-time World Series champion Dodgers, according to the AP.
Yankees lineup still missing its captain
Judge’s season line sits at .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs, according to the AP. His production had cooled before the injury, with only one home run over his final 18 games before going out.
The Yankees were 36-23 when Judge last appeared, the AP reported. Since then, they went 18-19 before entering the second half, leaving New York at 54-42 on the schedule shown for Friday’s matchup with the Dodgers.
That series brings its own spotlight. Los Angeles entered the game listed at 61-36, with Friday’s matchup scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET in New York.
Judge’s continued absence is part of a broader injury crunch for the Yankees. The AP reported that designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has not played since April 24 because of a strained right calf.
The pitching staff is also banged up. Left-hander Max Fried is sidelined with a bone bruise in his left elbow, while left-hander Carlos Rodón is out with left elbow inflammation, according to the AP.
Fried was scheduled to make a rehab start Friday, the AP reported. Clarke Schmidt, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, was set to throw one inning of batting practice Saturday.
For Judge, the next step depends on the doctors. The Yankees have not cleared him for baseball activities, and Boone’s update left the club with confidence in a return but no firm date for it.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.