The New York Yankees 2019 MLB season was plagued by the injury bug, and it seems like the 2020 Major League Baseball season is continuing that trend. The latest injury from the Yankees spring training camp in Tampa, Florida revolves around a fractured rib of their young superstar right fielder, Aaron Judge. It is uncertain yet if this ailment will necessitate surgery, but we should know fairly soon if that will happen or not. For now, the big guy is out of the line up indefinitely.
Last Season
Judge suffered an injury last season while making a diving catch in the outfield, and he is frustrated that he is once again hurt prior to the 2020 Major League Baseball season. Last year Aaron was only able to participate in 102 regular season games, and he was hoping to enter this year at 100% health although that does not seem to be the case.
Spring Training
He has not played in any spring training games yet this year due to soreness in his right pectoral muscle and shoulder, and now it has been confirmed that he has a stress fracture in his first right rib. The New York Yankees and Judge have undergone a variety of tests lately including an MRI, bone scans, and a CT scan as the Yankees’ medical staff strives to find the true source of his pain.
Surgery?
If his midsection doesn’t feel better soon surgery to remove the bone is a possibility, but that would keep him out of action for longer than he or New York would like. Judge has expressed his thoughts on avoiding surgery at costs unless it is absolutely necessary. The Yankees believe they have the best ball club in baseball, and they want as many hands on deck as possible to start their 2020 campaign from the Bronx.
New York Yankees Injury Report (3/7/2020)
March 7, 2020Chad BettisRP
Status: Day to day
Bettis is dealing with a back injury and it is unclear when he will be ready to pitch in games, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Ben HellerSP
Status: Day to day
Heller is dealing with a minor back injury but should get into a Grapefruit League game within the next couple of days, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Giancarlo StantonDH
Status: Day to day
Stanton (calf) will resume throwing and hitting tee-and-toss Saturday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Gary SanchezC
Status: Day to day
Sanchez has a sore back but is expected to return to game action Monday, George A. King III of the New York Post reports.
March 6, 2020Aaron Judge:RF
Status: Day to day
Judge is dealing with a stress fracture in his first right rib, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
March 5, 2020James Paxton:SP
Status: Day to day
Paxton (back) said Thursday that he’s been able to do rotational exercises with a medicine ball, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.
March 1, 2020Aaron Hicks:CF
Status: Day to day
Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that Hicks (elbow) could realistically be ready to make his season debut for the Yankees in June or July, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
February 27, 2020Luis Severino:SP
Status: Day to day
Severino’s Tommy John surgery went as expected Thursday, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
June 11, 2019Fre 7BALL CC icer Perez:SP
Status: Day to day
Judge’s Career Regular Season Batting Statistics:
YearAgeTmLgGPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBGDPHBPSHSFIBBPosAwards201624NYYAL27958410152041001942.179.263.345.6086129210109201725NYYAL1556785421281542435211494127208.284.422.6271.0491713401550411*9DAS,MVP-2,RoY-1,SS201826NYYAL1124984137711522027676376152.278.392.528.9191502181040539D/8AS,MVP-12201927NYYAL1024473787510318127553264141.272.381.540.9211432041130149D4 Yrs396171814172903876641102461810276543.273.394.558.952151791381301118162 Game Avg.1627035801191582724510174113222.273.394.558.952151324165057
Judge’s Career Postseason Batting Statistics:
YearAgeTmLgSeriesOppRsltGPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBGDPHBPSHSFIBBWPA201725NYYALALWCMINW1543200120010.500.6001.2501.8505000000.24201725NYYALALDSCLEW5242011100200416.050.208.100.308200000-0.15201725NYYALALCSHOUL7282456203701411.250.357.7081.0651710000-0.01201826NYYALALWCOAKW1432210120011.667.7502.0002.7506000000.18201826NYYALALDSBOSL418164600220022.375.444.7501.19412000000.22201927NYYALALDSMINW31493300000041.333.538.333.8723000000.19201927NYYALALCSHOUL6282536001220310.240.321.360.681900000-0.043 Yrs (7 Series)27121101212640817211941.257.375.535.91054100000.632 ALWC2975410240021.571.6671.5712.23811000000.423 ALDS1256458101024001019.222.364.378.74117000000.272 ALCS135649812204921721.245.339.531.8702610000-0.05
Judge’s Career Regular Season Fielding Statistics:
YearAgeTmPosLgGGSCGInnChPOAEDPFld%RtotRdrsRtot/yrRdrs/yrRF/9RF/GlgFld%lgRF9lgRFGAwards201624NYYOFAL272421216.03835210.974-20-901.541.37.9862.152.12201624NYYRFAL272421216.03835210.974-20-901.541.37.9862.102.08201725NYYOFAL1411411291238.2275265552.9822081971.961.91.9852.162.14AS,MVP-2,RoY-1,SS201725NYYRFAL1411411291238.2275265552.9822081981.961.91.9822.042.02AS,MVP-2,RoY-1,SS201725NYYDHAL1110AS,MVP-2,RoY-1,SS201826NYYOFAL918986797.2183171932.98481711252.031.98.9872.202.18AS,MVP-12201826NYYRFAL908885789.2182170932.98491713262.041.99.9862.072.05AS,MVP-12201826NYYDHAL1919AS,MVP-12201826NYYCFAL1118.0110001.000-10-13501.131.00.9902.592.50AS,MVP-12201927NYYOFAL929080775.11841777001.000182028302.142.00.9852.132.12201927NYYRFAL929080775.11841777001.000182028312.142.00.9832.072.06201927NYYDHAL1094 SeasonsOF3513443163027.26806482394.987444517171.991.91.9862.162.144 SeasonsRF3503433153019.26796472394.987454518172.001.91.9842.062.043 SeasonsDH40381 SeasonCF1118.0110001.000-10-13501.131.00.9902.592.504 SeasonsTOT3513443163027.26806482394.987444517171.991.91.9862.162.14
Media Statements:
“Frustrated, especially with an injury that happened at the end of last year and still didn’t heal up,” Judge stated. “At least we have an answer, so now we can start working on a solution. Overall, I’m just mad. I want to be out there with my team, especially in spring training. We’ve got a good team here, a good club, and we’ve got a lot of goals here in 2020.”
“I want to be out there. But the first thing is you’ve got to get this healed, get this right and then you can move forward,” says Judge. “The biggest thing is, I want the pain to go away and get this healed up.”
“It shows signs of healing, so we’re going to give it the next couple and re-test to show how much healing is going on with that rib,” New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone proclaimed.
“I wouldn’t say that’s off the table, but you wouldn’t want to go do that right now especially if the bone is healing,” says Boone.
“The fact that the bone is healing, progressing that way, there’s really no need to go down that route,” Judge goes on to say. “If it wasn’t healing, wasn’t going the way we wanted it to go, then, yeah, that’s a possibility.’
“It was to a point where he needed to start getting some answers,” Boone explained. “Now we have some answers and a plan of attack in place. Hopefully, it is a situation where it is healing and it won’t be something that ends up being too long.”
“To finally get an answer was good and bad,” Judge expressed. “I didn’t like hearing that I had a fracture in my rib, but to know what it is and we can move forward is kind of a relief.”
“I would say it’s going, seems like, pretty well,” says Boone. “But we’re still only nine, 10 days out from when it happened. He has been able to ramp up his intensity here consistently. Those are all good signs.”
