NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge was out of the lineup Thursday for a third straight game and the New York Yankees were awaiting clarity about a bone bruise in one of the slugger’s right ribs that is causing right shoulder pain. After avoiding a three-game sweep with a 2-1 victory over Cleveland, manager Aaron Boone said the team was awaiting the findings of Dr. Gregory Pearl, a vascular surgery specialist in Dallas. “Look it’s a lot of smart people in a specialized area and
(the) guy’s several states aways,” Boone said. “We just got to be patient.” Judge underwent a CT scan on Thursday morning and had an MRI earlier in the week when he met with a specialist. The bruise was first revealed when Judge underwent testing on the team’s off day on Monday. “I’m obviously not a doctor, I don’t know how it all works, but there’s a lot of people involved in trying to make sure we get the right diagnosis,” Boone said Thursday morning. Judge
was diagnosed with a stress fracture in one of his right ribs in March 2020. The injury occurred when he dove for a ball in September 2019, but Judge did not miss any time because of the 2020 season being delayed by the pandemic. He is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs. The three-time AL MVP has one homer in his last 18 games since May 10 and ended an 11-game homer and RBI drought with a game-ending, two-run drive on May 24
against the Tampa Bay Rays. Judge entered the game against Tampa Bay in a 1-for-24 slump that dropped his batting average to .246. He was hitless in 15 at-bats before singling in the first inning. Judge won the batting title last season when he hit a career-high .331 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs in 152 games. He missed 10 games from July 26-Aug. 4 with a flexor strain in his right elbow that he sustained on a throw to home July 22 in Toronto.
He underwent a plasma-rich injection and did not require offseason surgery. When Judge was hurt last season, Giancarlo Stanton played 17 games in the outfield. Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York’s upcoming road trip. José Caballero started the first two games against Cleveland and has made four starts in right field since being acquired from Tampa Bay at the July 31 trade
deadline. Max Schuemann made his first career start in right field Thursday and made a diving catch on Steven Kwan in the second along with a leaping catch on Brayan Rocchio in the seventh. Judge had started 52 of New York’s first 59 games in right field. Rookie Spencer Jones made four starts in right field before getting sent down May 22 and Cody Bellinger has started two games. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Aaron Judge, Yankees, Dr. Gregory Pearl, vascular specialist, bone bruise, right ribs, shoulder pain, CT scan, MRI, Giancarlo Stanton, José Caballero, Max Schuemann
So it’s a bruise… but they’re acting like it’s some life-or-death thing lol.
Vascular surgery specialist in Dallas? That sounds made up. Like just say he’s hurt and move on. Also why do they need a bunch of scans, just play him if he can.
Wait a second, I thought the issue was his ribs, but now it’s right shoulder pain? So which one is it, rib or shoulder? I swear they said he had a stress fracture already, so is this the same thing coming back again or something totally different? Not a doctor but this feels like he’s always one MRI away from sitting.
They got Dr. Pearl out in Dallas and it’s like several states away, so the delay is basically the whole story? Meanwhile Judge is barely hitting .248… that’s rough. I guess the 2020 pandemic excuse made the old rib injury not count, but now it’s haunting him again. Yankees gotta be cursed with rib stuff or whatever.