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The New York Yankees are fighting for their playoff lives, and they might receive a helpful defensive boost sooner rather than later.
MLB insider Jon Morosi recently reported that Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge could return to playing the field over the weekend or early next week.
“He could be back in right field sometime towards the weekend or early next week…,” Morosi said on MLB Network. “The Yankees are being a little vague on exactly the timeline.”
Judge was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow late last month. He made his return to the lineup as a designated hitter during Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Texas Rangers, but has not played the field yet.
The reigning American League MVP threw for the first time in 12 days before Wednesday's contest against the Rangers.
“Felt good. Normal throwing,” Judge told the New York Post and two other outlets. “It’s obviously sore. You got a flexor strain, it’s like [hamstring] — you run for the first time on a hammy, it’s going to be sore. But it didn’t feel like what it did when I hurt it.”
Judge’s eventual return to right field figures to offer the Yankees needed flexibility. Presently, manager Aaron Boone has to choose between using either Judge or Giancarlo Stanton as the lineup’s designated hitter.
Judge has not been able to play the field or throw with significant power due to his injury. Stanton has only spent limited time in the outfield since joining the Yankees in 2018.
New York would prefer to keep both sluggers in the lineup as much as possible. Across 37 games, Stanton has hit 10 home runs and posted an .868 OPS. Judge has already cranked 37 home runs and earned a 1.151 OPS through 104 contests.
The Yankees currently hold a Wild Card spot, but they will need the captain to be at full strength if they want to rebound from what has been an ugly stretch of baseball.
