With Aaron Judge’s return to the lineup, the New York Yankees are primed to face off against potential postseason matchups.
The Yankees are no lock to make the playoffs this year. After getting off to a fairly decent start, the team has gone a pedestrian 20-24 since the start of June. Coincidentally, that almost coincides perfectly with the time that reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge has been out with a toe injury. On June 3, Judge slammed into the right field wall while making a catch in Dodger Stadium. The Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 but it cost them their team’s leading slugger for nearly two months.
Aaron Judge is officially back for the New York Yankees. He's expected to play tonight for the first time since June 3.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2023
Initially, the Yankees had hoped that Judge avoided a major injury. They believed that the AL single-season homerun record holder could return to the lineup shortly after a few days’ rest. “Day-to-day” as they like to say. Those few days snowballed into a few weeks. Officially diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right big toe, Judge eventually missed nearly two months. That certainly stretches the term “day-to-day.”
The Yankees’ offense has stagnated without Judge. The team scored just 3.90 runs per game since Judge last played on June 3. That is a drop of nearly an entirely run per game with the slugger in the lineup. Key players like Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and DJ LeMahieu have underperformed well below their career averages. The Yankees also lost Josh Donaldson for the season, a player the team had hoped could turn things around.
The Outlook For Judge’s Season
Judge returns to the lineup after not playing a single rehab game in the minors. It’s not unusual for superstars to forgo a minor-league tune-up, but there will certainly be an adjustment period. Bryce Harper underwent Tommy John Surgery in November and he made a miraculous return to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup in May without a rehab assignment. As for the toe injury, Judge admits he won’t be 100% for the remainder of the year. “It’s not going to be pain-free, but we’ll just get as close to manageable as we can,” Judge told MLB.com last week.
Before the injury, Judge was hitting .291/.404/.674 with an OPS+ of 193. He was also leading the team with 19 home runs and 40 RBI. A pace that was strikingly similar to his record-setting 2022 performance. Although it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to return to form immediately, Aaron Judge’s return to the lineup will add an intimidating presence that has been sorely missed by the club.
The Yankees’ Pivotal Matchups
Having a sub-.500 record over two months is not ideal, but the team did an adequate job of treading dangerous waters without nosediving. But pessimistically speaking, the team should have done better over that stretch. Before the All-Star break, the Yankees lost two out of three to the Chicago Cubs. That includes allowing the Cubs their first win at Yankee Stadium in team history. After the break, the Yankees lost two out of three to the Colorado Rockies, who are currently sporting the worst record in the National League. The Yankees were then promptly swept by the Los Angeles Angels. Not a great stretch by any metric.
But the real rough stretch will be over the course of the next nine games. The Yankees will face off against the Baltimore Orioles this weekend in Baltimore. The Orioles are currently leading the AL East with a 62-40 record. The team will then head back home to face the second-place Tampa Bay Rays in a two-game set. Finally, the Bronx Bombers will go head-to-head with the Houston Astros in a four-game series. The Astros have recently received reinforcements after activating Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez off of the IL. Not so perfect timing for the Yankees.
By August 7, the Yankees will likely have a good idea if they are postseason-worthy or not. With Aaron Judge’s return, the rest of the lineup may be able to fall back into place and breathe a little easier. However, fans shouldn’t expect Judge to be able to carry the entire team on his back again. At least not right away. Toe injuries are brutal for athletes. Especially for power hitters who rely on creating torque using their lower bodies. But then again, we are inside Judge’s chambers.
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Photo Credit- Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Bryce Harper, Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez
