Aaron Judge finally playing catch isn’t just some routine pre-game toss anymore. After months off, the Yankees captain grabbed a ball on Friday, taking his first real steps back onto the field since that brutal stress fracture in his ribs sidelined him in early June. This isn’t just about throwing a ball; it’s about a beacon of hope for an offense that’s been sputtering and a fanbase desperate for a spark.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: What Judge’s Absence Cost
Man, what a hit the Yankees’ lineup took when Judge went down. Before his injury, the team was crushing it, racking up 305 runs and sitting pretty at fourth overall in MLB. But since Judge got put on the IL? They’ve only mustered 241 runs. Total runs? A measly 547, barely cracking the top half of the league at 15th. And talk about brutal averages: their .230 team batting average is the second-worst in the whole American League, and their .716 OPS is tied for 16th. That’s a massive drop-off, a clear signal of just how much they missed his bat. Judge was doing work before he got hurt, too, with a .248 average, a .375 on-base percentage, and a .533 slugging percentage. He blasted 17 homers and drove in 38 runs in just 59 games! You can see why his return, even just to playing catch, feels like a jolt of energy.
A Glimmer of Hope for the Stretch Run
It’s been a tough slog for the Pinstripes, going 32-31 in Judge’s absence. They’ve tumbled from just 1.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East all the way to seven games back after that 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday. That division title? It feels like a long shot right now. But don’t count them out completely, because they’ve still got an eight-game lead for that top wild-card spot. That’s a comfortable cushion, but they need to keep it. The good news isn’t just about Judge, either. Giancarlo Stanton, who’s been out with a calf injury, was also running the bases and hitting. And Cody Bellinger, sidelined by a strained hamstring, was out there sprinting in the outfield. If he’s feeling good, he could be heading for a minor-league rehab assignment super soon.
So, what’s next? Yankees manager Aaron Boone is staying optimistic that Judge will be back this season, even though he wouldn’t commit to a regular season return. “We expect him back, but we’re in the early stages of baseball activities,” Boone said, “so hopefully things continue to go well. He hasn’t done any baseball things in a while, so there’s a lot more to do.” There are only 39 games and six weeks left on the schedule, so every day counts. If Judge can keep progressing and get back into that lineup, even for a few weeks, it could be the spark that solidifies that wild-card spot and maybe, just maybe, makes some noise in October. The entire league’s watching this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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