Yankees Face Tough Road Ahead Without Aaron Judge's Power
We discuss Aaron Judge's injury and its impact on the Yankees' postseason hopes. With uncertainty surrounding his return, the team may need to make adjustments.
Video Transcript
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees did not get a great update on Aaron Judge.
He will not resume baseball activities, so this means a longer period of time.
This should come as no surprise, Tom.
Look, a couple of months ago, they were throwing out, a doctor who had specialized in thoracic outlet surgery.
Now, I'm not gonna speculate on that, 'cause I don't know what this injury is, but if Judge is not able to start baseball activities, we could be looking at weeks again.
I, I think that, honestly, I think, Tom, the Yankees would be lucky to have him back this season and in the postseason.
Obviously, something's drastically wrong here.
Right.
They, they cleared him of the thoracic outlet syndrome earlier in the year, right when he went on the IL.
To me, this seems like an intercostal m- muscle injury, and this is just my pure speculation, but, you know, a muscle between the ribs.
It's not the actual rib itself.
That just helps with the, you know, implies with the, it plays with the, the oblique and obviously with the turning, with the swing.
And Judge has a very powerful swing, so he needs that to be at 100%.
So it's just gonna be a- another waiting period until we get the next update, when he can resume, when he can start running, throwing, hitting, and go from there.
Yeah.
And, and do you think, Tom, as it pertains to the Yankees, not having, you know, Judge there is one thing, but, you know, their postseason performer, even though he hasn't done much during the regular season the last few years, is Giancarlo Stanton.
If they don't have either of these guys, I can't imagine them rolling into the postseason with the team that they have.
I think they would probably have to add something.
They would have to add something, and ultimately you're talking about if, even if they do add something, could you get Judge back?
Is he gonna only DH?
You know, you don't want him diving on the field and, and, you know, stretching out and hurting his rib more.
The, how does the team, you know, composition look at that point?
But ultimately, the team ceiling at that point is what?
Win one postseason series and then y- you lose the next one?
Like, that's ultimately what it comes down to.
