Oct 18, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts at the end of the fifth inning in game five of the ALDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees
(New York, NY) — The New York Yankees have avoided a crisis. A $360 million one.
Aaron Judge put the Yankees season on a dramatic pause when he jammed his right hand/wrist during an ugly slide into third base in the team’s series finale against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
Judge was tagged out and immediately bolted into the clubhouse, followed by trainers.
Because he was serving as the designated hitter on Wednesday, it was impossible to tell if Judge was staying in the game until the fourth inning, when he was able to take his next at-bat.
“There was some talk (about coming out of the game) but we ended those pretty quick. You can either play or you can’t play, so I was able to play,” Judge said after the game.
Here’s the awkward slide: https://twitter.com/77wabcsports/status/1651282801252024321?s=20
“We got on base the next couple at-bats, so we’re all good,” the Bombers superstar said. “… We’re feeling good.”
Judge, who is celebrating his 31st birthday, finished Wednesday’s contest with three hits and three RBI, propelling the Yankees to a 12-4 win.
Having been held to eight runs over the previous five games, the scuffling Bombers’ busted for a season high for runs scored (11, on April 11 at Cleveland).
Losing Judge for any length of time would be a catastrophic blow to a Yankees team hitting .232 despite Wednesday’s outburst. Already missing Giancarlo Stanton (strained hamstring), Harrison Bader (strained oblique) and Josh Donaldson (strained hamstring), the team simply can’t afford another injury.
The Bombers rank 22nd among the 30 teams with an average of four runs scored per game.
New York carries a 14-11 record heading into a four games series in Arlington against the Rangers.
