Aaron Judge is finally on the path back to the field. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, through Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, just dropped the news everyone in New York has been waiting for, revealing that Judge has been cleared for some light activity. After what feels like an eternity on the injured list, this is a massive first step for the slugger and a huge shot of hope for a Yankees team that’s been scrambling.
Judge Is Moving, And It’s About Time
Forget about “might not seem like much.” This update is huge! Judge is cleared for outdoor running and upper body resistance. This means scans are good, and the man is actually getting his body moving again. He last played a game on May 31, which is well over two months ago now. That’s a lifetime in baseball, especially when you’re talking about a player of Judge’s caliber. His absence has been a gaping hole in the lineup, and honestly, every Yankees fan has been holding their breath for any good news. Getting him to this stage, where he’s actually doing *something* physical, is a promising sign that things are finally getting on track.
The Offense Needs His Bat, Badly
The Yankees have tried to patch things up. They were active at the trade deadline, bringing in Luis Garcia Jr. from the Nationals and Heliot Ramos from the Giants to try and juice up that “shaky offense.” Those are nice pickups, sure, but let’s be real, they still need more offensive firepower. And there’s no easier way to get that than getting Judge’s bat back in the lineup. Before he went down, in just 59 games, he was already putting up insane numbers: a 2.1 bWAR, 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .907 OPS, and a 151 OPS+. Those aren’t just good stats; they’re MVP-level production that a team absolutely cannot replace.
So yeah, while he’s not cleared for actual baseball activities yet, and there are still questions about his exact return date, this is the news the Yankees needed. Keep your eyes peeled, folks. This is the first real sign that we might see Judge back on the diamond soon, and you know the league is gonna notice when that monster bat starts swinging again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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