The New York Yankees plan to activate reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge off the injured list Friday as long as there are no last-minute setbacks with his toe injury, reports the New York Post. While speaking with reporters Wednesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he "wouldn't rule anything out" about Judge returning later this week.
Judge has not played since tearing a ligament in his toe crashing into the Dodger Stadium fence on June 3. Last week he acknowledged he will have to play through pain the rest of the year and may need surgery in the offseason. "It's not going to be pain-free, but we'll just get as close to manageable as we can," Judge recently told MLB.com.
Earlier this week Judge traveled to the Yankees' spring training complex to get at-bats, play the field, and run the bases in simulated games. He started to ramp up his baseball activity immediately after the All-Star break and has made steady progress with no setbacks or delays the last two weeks.
Talked to a talent evaluator who watched Aaron Judge earlier today at the club's minor league complex in Tampa: "Hit a long home run to right-center in one of his ABs and appeared to be moving around well. I did not see him favoring it (the toe)...I would be encouraged."
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) July 25, 2023
Judge's return will coincide with the start of an important six-game stretch that will see the Yankees go on the road for three games against the Baltimore Orioles, then return home for three games with the Tampa Bay Rays. Those games could very well determine New York's trade deadline strategy. A few good days and they could go all-in on buying. Otherwise they may be more reserved.
The Yankees are 18-23 and averaging only 3.90 runs per game since Judge last played. They averaged 4.72 runs per game before Judge's injury. The Yankees fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson right before the All-Star break and struggling veterans like DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton have shown some signs of life under new hitting coach Sean Casey.
Judge, 31, has hit .291/.404/.674 with 19 home runs in 49 games this season. This is the first year of his nine-year, $360 million contract. The Yankees enter play Wednesday in last place in the AL East at 53-48. They are 2.5 games out of a postseason spot.
