New York Yankees star Aaron Judge got pulled for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning Wednesday, citing tightness in his lower right leg. It was called a precautionary move, something Judge himself characterized as a “normal occurrence” after being away from the game for a long time. This is the three-time AL MVP we’re talking about, and seeing him exit early in a crucial stretch of games? That’s definitely gonna raise some eyebrows.
What’s Up With The MVP?
So, here’s the deal: Judge was actually on the bench Tuesday for some planned rest, which makes Wednesday’s early exit even more concerning. He stepped up to the plate twice against Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews and struck out in both at-bats before Heliot Ramos subbed in. Judge said he first felt the discomfort in his lower right leg while out in the field in the first inning. He did run to the gap to track down a double in the fifth, which was his last play, and honestly, he didn’t show any signs of slowing down on that one. It’s weird, right? He looked fine, but felt something was off.
This isn’t a random blip for Judge. Since returning last week from a broken rib, his bat hasn’t exactly been on fire. In seven games, he’s 4 for 26, punched out 13 times, and only has one extra-base hit. Yikes. He did launch a homer in the series opener on Monday, which was cool, especially since the Yankees clinched a postseason spot that same night. But after Wednesday’s 5-4, 13-inning loss to the Twins, Judge admitted, “We’re still trying to ramp up so there’s still going to be little things like this that come up.” He added that he “thought it would be best instead of pushing through it like I normally do,” and that he didn’t want to “cost the team on the field or cost the team on the basepaths.” He wouldn’t even pinpoint what exactly happened. Sounds like he’s trying to be smart, but man, you gotta wonder if this is more than just a “little thing.”
Division Race Implications
The Yankees have punched their ticket to the postseason, but that’s not the end game, is it? They want that AL East title. Heading into Wednesday’s game, they were trailing the AL East leader, Tampa Bay, by 3 1/2 games. Every single game matters “down the stretch” as Judge put it. Taking himself out of the game? That shows he knows the stakes are high, but also that he’s not 100 percent. The team’s gotta be holding its breath right now.
This “tightness” comes at the absolute worst time. The Yankees are off Thursday, then they’ve got a three-game series starting Friday in Arizona. And then, hold on to your hats, because next Tuesday, they kick off a massive four-game division-race showdown right at home against the Rays. You can bet that series is circled on everyone’s calendar. Judge hoped this is “just one little thing” and that he’ll be back out there soon. For the sake of the AL East crown, they better hope so, too.
What’s next? The Yankees hit Arizona on Friday. Can they keep pace in the division without their MVP at full strength, or even in the lineup? That’s the question on everyone’s mind heading into a pivotal stretch.
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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