NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees works out on the field before a scheduled game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on May 30, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Aaron Judge’s return to the Yankees lineup isn’t exactly imminent, but the All-Star outfielder’s bid to return to the Bronx is gaining serious momentum.
The Yankees have suffered quite a few injuries this season, but no absence impacts the team on and off the field like Aaron Judge. Fortunately for the Bronx Bombers, their spiritual leader is progressing steadily toward a return to the Majors.
According to manager Aaron Boone, Judge could be slated to begin his rehabilitation stint in the Minors within the next couple of days. More importantly, the towering outfielder might begin his work all the way up in AAA. That’s a clear sign that the organization is comfortable accelerating Judge’s rehabilitation timeline.
That’s great news for a team that’s been floundering a bit as of late. The Yankees are still in first place in the AL East, but they’re only 4-6 in their last 10 games. Much of the blame regarding the team’s slide is due to the struggles of the starting rotation, but it’s clear adding Judge back to the lineup could give this team a real boost of power.
Judge, of course, isn’t the only Yankee outfielder who is closing in on a return to the big leagues. Giancarlo Stanton has already begun his rehabilitation work in Florida. There’s a chance he and Judge could join up to play together in AAA as early as this weekend. That would position both players to return to the big-league club during New York’s upcoming home stand.
The Yankees organization certainly isn’t going to push either player back into the lineup too quickly, but team officials can’t wait to see both Stanton and Judge back in Boone’s batting order on a daily basis. The return of Judge, in particular, might happen sooner than anyone thought was possible just a few weeks ago.