The New York Yankees have been ice cold since the All-Star break and there’s no shortage of blame to go around.
The defense has been bad at times, the baserunning has been lazy and some players haven’t played to their potential just yet.
But the team has also been without the best hitter in baseball, Aaron Judge, for 10 games. Losing Judge changes everything for the Yankees. He’s a game changer in the middle of the lineup that makes everybody’s lives easier.
As Judge has sat on the injured list with a forearm/elbow injury, the Yankees have struggled, but the slugger could be eyeing his triumphant return to the team, just in time to finish the postseason push.
According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Judge will be activated from the IL on Tuesday, likely to return as a designated hitter until the slugger’s elbow is completely healed.
Judge suffered a flexor strain, an injury that doesn’t typically impact a hitter and their swing. It’s usually an injury that isn’t felt unless throwing the ball, so Judge should have the green light to return as the DH with no restrictions there.
This, obviously, causes an issue with the Yankees lineup, as their everyday DH, Giancarlo Stanton, hasn’t played the field in well over a year. Stanton’s lower body injuries have heavily impacted his mobility over the years.
Stanton is also getting hot right now, so it would be tough to move him out of the lineup, but Judge can’t be benched for anybody.
It’ll be very interesting to see the Yankees’ first lineup with Judge returning on Tuesday, likely as the DH.
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