Yankees' Aaron Judge says fractured rib is healing as expected, reveals collapsed lung diagnosis

So far, so good with Judge's recovery while baseball is paused over the coronavirus pandemic

Major League Baseball, like many sports leagues around the world, has been shut down indefinitely because of the growing threat that is the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Spring training has been suspended and Opening Day has been pushed back to at least mid-May, and that remains subject to change as the situation develops.

The shutdown will have a tangible on-field impact on the game and the New York Yankees may feel that impact more than most. The shutdown means their injured players may be ready to play when the season begins. Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, James Paxton, Luis Severino, and Giancarlo Stanton are all working their way back from injuries.

Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his top right rib two weeks ago -- he suffered the injury last September and was having shoulder and pectoral issues in spring training -- and, on Friday, he had his two-week checkup. He told the Associated Press the bone is healing as expected, and he revealed another injury: a collapsed lung. For real.

Here's what Judge told reporters at the team's spring training complex in Tampa:

"The bone is still about the same, slight improvement," Judge said as he left Steinbrenner Field. "The bone is healing the way it should be, so probably another test here in a couple more weeks and go from there."

Judge added the scan showed a "pneumothorax came back completely gone."

"A little thing on the lung that we were having a little issue with, but that was all healed up." Judge said. "Good to go. Which means I can fly if I needed to go home."

Pneumothorax is the collapsed lung, meaning oxygen leaked between Judge's lung and chest wall. Sheesh. Some of these Yankees injuries are getting comical. I mean, a collapsed lung? Really? Really. I assume Judge suffered it on the same dive that fractured his top right rib.

Judge and the Yankees are taking a conservative approach and letting the rib heal on its own, though they admitted surgery to remove the rib is a possibility. The top rib is high up near the collarbone -- that's why Judge experienced shoulder and pectoral discomfort -- and removing it would presumably cost him several weeks. That doesn't seem like a minor procedure.

Depending when the regular season begins, Judge may not miss any games. The same applies to Stanton (calf strain), who is due to return in April, and Paxton (back surgery), who is expected to return in June. Hicks is due back from Tommy John surgery in June or July. Severino is the only Yankee done for 2020. He had Tommy John surgery last month.

Prior to the shutdown the Yankees were expected to go into the 2020 season with Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman flanking Brett Gardner in the outfield. Prospect Estevan Florial is the only other healthy outfielder on the 40-man roster. Miguel Andujar was learning left field in spring training now that Gio Urshela is locked in at third base.

Last season Judge, 27, missed closed to two months with an oblique strain. He played through the fractured rib in September and received injections in the postseason to stay on the field. Judge authored a .272/.381/.540 batting line with 27 home runs in 102 games around the oblique injury.