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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Six weeks into his injured-list stint, Yankees star Aaron Judge is set to undergo re-imaging of his fractured first right rib. Brian Cashman indicated that fresh MRIs will take place during next week’s All-Star break. Based on the original prognosis, the timeframe to healing could allow Judge to return this season, Cashman said, but the team will wait for the imaging to determine where things stand in that process. Judge has been on the IL since June 2, and he had played with some discomfort in the weeks before the initial tests confirmed the injury. For the new scans, Cashman said, “I don’t think we’re expecting a clean result,” but rather hopeful that the images will show the healing process progressing.
If luck is on their side, the best-case scenario would have Judge back in the lineup before the end of August. Yet the Yankees are cautious about anything that could derail the captain’s recovery timeline. “He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose,” Cashman said. “If he’s asymptomatic, not feeling anything, and showing healing, that’s when we’ll move to the next step.” He added that nothing should interfere with the healing process and noted that Judge is currently restricted from any exercises that place stress on the ribcage. “We’ll gain a clearer picture and perhaps more answers for our medical team once we receive the image evaluation,” Cashman said.
Judge has accompanied the Yankees on the road trip leading up to the break, a period during which the team has spiraled, posting 15 losses in their last 20 games entering Thursday. “Clearly you miss him—that’s certainly a factor,” Cashman said at Tropicana Field before Thursday afternoon’s series finale against the AL East–leading Rays. However, the absence of the two-time defending AL MVP is not the sole reason for the team’s struggles, Cashman emphasized. Judge’s injury timeline has not necessarily altered the Yankees’ approach ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. “We’re open to improving ourselves, period—whether it’s pitching or offense,” Cashman said.
Meanwhile, slugging designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) has not played since April 24 and has “just started running a little bit,” according to Cashman. Stanton is dealing with “a whole new injury, not a setback to a prior injury,” Cashman said of the second strain he sustained during rehab last month. He noted that Stanton has received platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment as part of his ongoing recovery.