The New York Yankees are getting more big news, as Aaron Judge will start in right field tonight for the first time in over a month.
He was placed on the IL after a series against the Phillies where the team had him undergo testing on his throwing elbow for a potential elbow injury.
While the team feared the worst, an MRI revealed no damage to the UCL, as he was diagnosed with a flexor strain and expected to return to the field in 2025.
Playing DH as his throwing elbow recovered, Judge’s absence from right field forced some awkward outfield alignments and early exits for Giancarlo Stanton who was playing the outfield.
With Judge back in right field, the Yankees have their best defensive alignments out there, and they can roll into a Blue Jays series with their captain playing all three games with Giancarlo Stanton.
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Aaron Judge is in the midst of another MVP-caliber season, sporting a 193 wRC+ with 43 home runs in 130 games, but he’s been stuck at the DH spot for longer than he hoped.
The Yankees initially believed they would have Judge in right field shortly after getting him back from the IL, but days became weeks and weeks became months.
Manager Aaron Boone is astutely aware of how important Judge is to the team, as is the two-time MVP himself, and he’ll get the start in right field now that he’s checked off the boxes needed to return to the outfield.
It gives New York the ability to play Giancarlo Stanton in every game of a series that could kill the Yankees’ AL East hopes or let it live for the final weeks of the season.
The Yankees are just 3-7 against the Blue Jays this season, their lone series win coming in their first matchup of the season which took place in the Bronx.
After a 1-6 skid including a four-game sleep that saw the division lead dwindle away, New York sits three games behind Toronto with a chance to stun the Blue Jays late in the season.
It’ll require a lot of runs, as Toronto sports one of the best lineups in baseball, but with Aaron Judge in right field, it should make the team defense better.
Jazz Chisholm, who exited yesterday’s game early with double knee contusions, is also in the starting nine for tonight’s game.
It’s all hands on deck in the final stretch of the season, as the Yankees are both playing for an outside chance at the division and a playoff berth that would mark their seventh appearance in eight seasons under Aaron Boone.