New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge made just two plate appearances during his club's matchup with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. It's still unclear, as the organization provided no reason for his departure during the game. Judge, who struck out in both trips to the plate, was pinch-hit for in the sixth inning after appearing to grimace after a check swing in the second inning.
Heliot Ramos stepped to the plate without any sort of announcement and would go on to finish the game in right field. YES Network's broadcast booth seemed to allude to the fact that an injury might have taken place, with Joe Girardi providing the glass half-empty approach when shooting down a question asked by Michael Kay. "Is this just giving Judge the rest of the game off?" Kay asked.
There has to be an issue," Girardi answered. Judge previously missed three months with a fractured right top rib that he suffered while making a diving catch against the Houston Astros on April 26. The Yankees held him out on Tuesday, so any thought that the decision is tied to maintenance seems quite far fetched.
Judge entered the game slashing .243/.363/.515 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs in 65 games, with the expectation that he would be a regular for the remainder of the regular season as his club remains just 3.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the race for the American League East. If this is a reaggregation of his injury just seven games after his return, that idea will go up in smoke -- as will New York's hopes of winning another World Series.
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