Aaron Judge has missed most of the season, but the New York Yankees are close to getting him back in the lineup.
Judge has been recovering from a fractured rib and has not played since May 31. He has started taking swings, but has yet to face velocity. However, he hopes to avoid a rehab assignment before returning.
"I didn't rehab in ‘23 when I missed probably the same amount of time," Judge told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch on Thursday. "Why waste at-bats? Why waste anything down in a Minor League game? I've been doing this for a while now, and I’ve got a sense of what I need to do on the field and how to manage it.”
Judge is a three-time MVP, and he should not need much time to get his timing back. Live batting practice and the Trajekt machine should provide him with enough at-bats against velocity for him to get back in the lineup without needing a rehab assignment.
Judge missed 43 games in 2023 and came back to play in 57 games. He had a .965 OPS in that span. His batting average was .245, but he hit 18 homers. He has missed more time this year, but his point may be valid. He should be able to get his timing back easily.
“I’m not really expecting it to take me too long to get the timing back," Judge told Hoch.
His defense may be a different story. Fans should not expect to see Judge diving around the outfield when he is back. However, what he brings to the Yankees offense is more important.
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