Judge (right hip) exits: ‘Not too concerned about it’
ARLINGTON — A day after he appeared to harm his proper wrist sliding right into a tag in Minnesota, Yankees proper fielder Aaron Judge left Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Rangers with proper hip discomfort. The problem, which is more likely to preserve Judge from taking part in some or the entire remaining three video games at Globe Life Field, can also be a repercussion of the awkward slide towards the Twins, Judge stated.
“It was just a little grab in the hip area — after that headfirst slide … the whole right side has been a little locked up,” Judge stated. “The culmination of having that [slide] and a couple of swings today, I just really couldn’t get it loose.”
Judge batted within the first and second innings on Thursday, putting out swinging each instances towards Texas starter Andrew Heaney. After the second strikeout, on a shoulder-high fastball, Judge moved his empty proper hand near his belt and grimaced for a second earlier than strolling again to the dugout. He performed his place for 2 extra innings, earlier than being eliminated for Oswaldo Cabrera to begin the underside of the fourth.
Manager Aaron Boone stated he observed one thing was off throughout Judge’s second plate look. He finally pulled Judge earlier than he had an opportunity to hit once more.
“I was pretty firm with it,” Boone stated. “I didn’t go away a lot to it — I wished to get him out of there. I simply felt like I didn’t need him to do one thing extra — even when he felt like he might proceed to go, I wasn’t going to fiddle with that.
“I don’t like taking our guy out, but we’ll see what we have here tomorrow and the next couple of days and see where we’re at with it.”
In Wednesday’s victory over the Twins, Judge was caught stealing at third base, touchdown awkwardly on his proper hand and wrist as he hit the grime extra perpendicular to the bottom than on a typical touchdown. He stated after the sport there was some consideration to popping out, however he stayed in and picked up three hits.
Even Thursday, regardless of the “grab” he felt throughout his second at-bat, Judge continued to play the sector and was getting ready to take some swings within the batting cage close to the guests’ clubhouse when Boone communicated his choice.
“It wasn’t anything crazy, that’s why I wanted to keep it going, but Booney advised against that. He said, ‘Get some work done, see how it feels and we’ll get back out there,’” Judge stated. “The whole right side of the body — when you have a pretty bad slide like that, you feel it the next day. You don’t want to come out of any game, but I’m not too concerned about it.”
Injuries had been hardly a priority for Judge throughout his record-setting 2022 season, when he hit an American League-record 62 homers, in his most up-to-date look at Globe Life Field previous to Thursday. He performed 157 video games final season, however accidents have been a problem for the Yankees normally in recent times.
“Some of the things have been freak things,” Boone stated, “But it’s not for lack of us being totally sold out for having the best medical care and keeping guys healthy as best we can.”
Of course, given Judge’s excessive profile and standing as one in every of MLB’s brightest stars — in addition to one of many Yankees’ best gamers — Judge’s early departure was the elephant within the clubhouse in postgame conversations.
“He’s our captain, our leader, and I know he expects to be out there every day,” stated reliever Michael King, who pitched 2 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings for the save Thursday. “Any time he comes out of the game, it’s not great. I’m just praying for him and hoping he’s OK.”
