​What Aaron Judge’s latest injury update means for Yankees originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Yankees offense looks lost without Aaron Judge. Judge has been out of the lineup since May 31 with a fractured rib. The healing process is a lengthy one, requiring several MRIs to determine where he is in his recovery. However, the Yankees are hopeful that Judge can return this season. According to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, the right fielder played catch on Friday for the first time in two months. That may seem like an insignificant update, but Judge’s baseball activities have been very limited to this point. “Part of the ramp-up of the baseball activities,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Kuty, before Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Boone said the throwing session went well, but there’s no word on what Judge will do next in the progression. Yankees offense has severely struggled without JudgeAs of Monday, there’s been no report that the three-time MVP has swung a bat. The Yankees badly miss Judge’s presence in the lineup. MORE: Phillies receive slightly worrying 65% playoff odds projection from ESPN”They were fourth in the majors in runs scored (305) and second in wRC+ (117) after Judge’s last game on May 31,” Kuty wrote. “Since June 1, they are 26th in runs scored (241) and 28th in wRC+ (87).” There’s no timetable for Judge’s return, but the AL East organization’s captain expects to return this year. Left fielder Cody Bellinger will start a rehab assignment this week, and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton ran the bases and hit on the field this past weekend. There’s no timetable for Stanton’s return. More MLB news:Red Sox get 8.2% chance to win World Series, which is more than Yankees’ oddsDodgers prospect Kendall George to undergo knee surgery months after viral bat dog incidentDave Dombrowski reveals why Phillies didn’t trade for a righty-hitting outfielderBrewers ‘toyed’ with idea of trading for Padres closer Mason Miller