Aaron Judge’s toe injury looks much worse than initially thought.
New York Yankees star admitted saturday he actually tore a ligament after crashing into a wall at Dodger Stadium on June 4. The team initially called the injury a sprain and placed Judge on the disabled list two days later on June 6. Judge added that his foot still hurts. when he walks and did not know when he would play again this season.
“I’m not giving you any deadline,” he said. said. “It’s not necessary. I just have to improve and then I’ll be there.
“I don’t think too many people here have torn a ligament in their toe,” Judge said. said. “If it was a quad we would have a better answer. If it’s an oblique or a hamstring we have answers and a timeline for that. With how unique this injury is , and it’s my back foot, which I push back from and run away, it’s a tough place.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone also declined to give a schedule, but said he expects Judge to return this season. However, Boone wouldn’t go so far as to insure it.
“It’s an absolute”, Boone said about whether he could guarantee Judge would play in 2023. “I can’t say that about anybody.”
Judge said Sunday that while he was going to do “everything I can to put myself in this position” to return this season, he simply has no idea when that will happen.
“I just feel bad. Looking for answers. It’s your job. You report. I have no answers. I’m trying to figure stuff out and get through this thing.
Judge’s latest injury has dealt a major blow to his MVP bid and the Yankees’ 2023 season.
While he was batting 291/.404/.674 before the injury, Judge no longer leads MLB in home runs or OPS. His 19 homers are now behind five other hitters and he is six behind Shohei Ohtani. Judge previously landed on the IL earlier this year and missed 10 games in late April and early May with a hip injury.
New York, meanwhile, is 11-16 in 27 games without a judge this year, has lost six of its last eight games and is now third in the AL East with a 41-35 record.