Aaron Judge's broken rib has not completely healed, and the New York Yankees captain still hasn't been cleared to resume baseball activities.
Judge hasn't played since May 31 because of the stress fracture in his right ribs. A scan during the All-Star break showed partial healing, but it's not enough to get him back on the field.
The Yankees have been feeling the impact of Judge's absence. The team was 36-23 when he last played, but has since gone 18-19. Judge was hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs before the injury, but had just one homer in his last 18 games.
Manager Aaron Boone remains optimistic about Judge's return. "I feel good about the fact that he will be back. It's just a matter of when," Boone said Friday before the start of a weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Yankees are also dealing with injuries to other key players. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton hasn't played since April 24 due to a strained right calf. Left-handers Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are also sidelined with elbow injuries.
Fried was scheduled to make a rehab start on Friday, while Clarke Schmidt, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, was set to throw an inning of batting practice on Saturday. Judge said he is waiting to hear from doctors on a plan moving forward.
The Yankees are facing a tough stretch without Judge, including a weekend series against the two-time World Series champion Dodgers. The team will need to find a way to fill the void left by Judge's absence if they want to stay competitive.
As for Judge, he'll have to wait a little longer to get back on the field. The Yankees will likely provide an update on his status in the coming days, but for now, it's a waiting game.
Source: Yahoo Sports