Aaron Judge has been serving as the Yankees’ designated hitter for the past week, but a return to the outfield could be on the horizon.
According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, manager Aaron Boone said Judge might be back patrolling the field as early as this weekend, when New York takes on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Aaron Judge has been limited to designated hitter duties for the past week following an elbow injury on July 22 that landed him on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain. The injury has caused more discomfort when throwing than hitting, but tests confirmed his UCL remains intact. Encouragingly, the latest update suggests his elbow is healing well — knock on wood.
With Judge unable to play right field, Giancarlo Stanton has stepped in — his first time in the outfield since September 14, 2023. Stanton is also coming off his own elbow issues, and with the Yankees in a slump after a string of losses, fans are understandably concerned. Still, his bat is too important to take out of the lineup, forcing the front office to get creative to keep both sluggers active.
While some reports hinted Judge could return to the outfield by this weekend’s series against the St. Louis Cardinals, SNY’s Andy Martino expressed doubt, noting team insiders aren’t sure he’ll be ready. Martino also questioned whether Stanton could handle Busch Stadium’s expansive right field, a far bigger challenge than Yankee Stadium’s smaller dimensions.
For now, Judge and Stanton remain in their “Freaky Friday” roles, as they did in Tuesday’s win over the Twins. The Yankees, sitting third in the AL East and clinging to the final AL Wild Card spot, are looking to claw back from a 4-7 post-deadline record. Any spark from their two stars could be the boost they desperately need.
Source: SI.com
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