The Yankees will activate star outfielder Aaron Judge off the injured list on Friday, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports (Twitter link). Judge has already joined the team in New York as the Yankees begin an important four-game series against Houston starting tonight.
The slugger has spent the last week playing in Triple-A rehab games, as Judge puts the final touches on his recovery from a left oblique strain. That injury sent Judge to the IL back on April 21, interrupting what had been a strong start (.288/.404/.521 and five homers over 89 PA) to the 2019 campaign for the former Rookie Of The Year.
Judge now rejoins a Yankees lineup that, incredibly, barely seemed to slow down despite the long-term absences of several notable starters — despite missing Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Didi Gregorius for long stretches and losing Miguel Andujar to season-ending shoulder surgery, New York still ranks within the top ten in most team offensive categories. Between these returning star hitters and the newly-acquired Edwin Encarnacion, the Yankees now boast arguably the game’s most impressive lineup.
Cameron Maybin’s continued roster status could now be in question with Judge returning, unless the Yankees choose to option a reliever to Triple-A and keep both Maybin and Brett Gardner as backup outfielders. The latter option would allow the Yankees to perhaps spell Judge and Stanton in the later innings to keep them fresh as they return from their long IL absences, since DH duty isn’t as much of an option now with Encarnacion in the fold. Maybin is playing on a minor league contract this season, and was acquired from Cleveland in late April as a response to the Yankees’ injury-depleted outfield. Maybin, for his part, has hit very well since donning the pinstripes, taking a .307/.383/.491 slash line over 128 plate appearances into today’s action.
How’s he gonna crack that lineup?
Keep Maybin and send down a pitcher. He has good team chemistry and is hot right now.
I believe that’s why they’re waiting until tomorrow. They’ll likely option Cortes after tonight’s bullpen game.
I think Holder. Cortes is dealing and Holder could actually benefit from tone in the minors based on his recent struggles
*time
Yankeedynasty agree
Unfortunately, due to opener use, no pitchers to spare.
EPIC !!!! Omg it’s great to have the judge back !
I feel bad for Maybin, because I think he’s done a really nice job. They’ve painted themselves into a corner with the their obvious loyalty to Gardner. They’ll carry 13 pitchers soon and just end up releasing Maybin unfortunately.
There is certainly a loyalty to Gardner for his clubhouse/veteran leadership appeal, but it’s not as though it’s entirely misplaced. He’s still quite valuable, simply in baseball terms. Maybin has certainly been fantastic, and his increased tendency to lift the ball, coupled with an increase in exit velocity, does paint a picture of a different hitter than his track record suggests. Even so, there’s no cutting Gardner unless he massively underperformed, which, again, he hasn’t. I don’t see a scenario where Maybin remains with the team long-term. It’s certainly a tough situation, but the fact that cutting maybin seems so difficult to do after he was purchased for a bag of balls a couple months ago is an unbelievably positive outcome. Even if maybin’s time is over, you can’t beat the production he gave, and, in all likelihood, would not have been able to sustain anyway.
“clubhouse/veteran leadership appeal” That way of thinking can be so overblown. You have multiple players on that team who can, and do provide the same thing. Right now Brantley for just a little more could be providing so much more. I’d appreciate to just agree to disagree on Gardner rather than have any sophomoric insult hurled my way.
Um, I don’t believe I hurled any insults your way? I was simply responding to your comment with my opinion. By most measures, Gardner has been valuable in purely baseball terms, not just intangible leadership qualities. That was my point. I certainly didn’t even suggest any juvenile “sophomoric” insults! Yikes.
Sorry I totally was in a hurry and should’ve finished that differently. That was meant for others just in case, and not you.
@srechter I agree with you 100%
Garder is still a plus defender , a plus baserunner and about average offensively with some pop and solid on base skills
Hes perfect ad a part time outfielder . Teams would kill to have a 4th outfielder like gardner .
People have been on gardner his whole career because he doesn’t hit home runs
You’ve saved my sanity, robluca. So much Gardner hate that I just don’t understand. You’re spot on; most teams would kill for a fourth outfielder of his caliber.
I mean, look up major league outfielder career WAR over the last 15 years…. Gardner is something like Top-30. Basically he’d be the best outfielder that some team has had for the last 15 years. Very underrated.
I remember when gardner came up people said he was nothing more than a reserve player . Then i hear Melky is better and gardner will be traded
Then I remember the gardner for Brandon Phillips rumors
Then the Yankees signed Ellsbury and he was supposedly better than gardner
Well gardner has outlasted all of them and we all have had the gardy party going since 2008.
A lot of Yankees fan dont appreciate the guy and that is a shame because he is an extremely valuable player to the team. That’s all without mentioning the stuff you cant quantify into statistics ( leadership , chemistry etc)
No one plays harder than Gardiner. Head first dive into first base yesterday in the 9th inning of a game they’re up by eleven runs LOL, you can’t make that up. Some will say that’s reckless, but his dedication and toughness will be sorely missed when he hangs them up.
Actually Gardner for all his speed does not utilize it when it is much needed he takes forever to swipe a bag and a guy that has that kind of speed does not utilize his legs very well hence why he is a horrific bunter as well. As for clubhouse leader Yankees have always been well represented in that aspect. Teams are now moving forward with the best possible roster and not because the guy is a rah-rah well liked kind of guy it is about overall production. You hit it on the head he is a good outfielder for a 4th Outfielder but not at the annual the Yankees are paying him look at the production the Yankees are getting right now from Maybin.
The Yankees will keep Gardner because of sentimental reasons which would be sending the wrong message to other players that have outperformed not only in the Outfield but in the Infield as well. If I was the Yankees I would unload Gardner to an N.L. team that would need Outfield depth especially if the Yankees don’t trade Clint Frazier they can then bring him up and take Gardner’s place. Maybin has shown thus far the bat and same character Gardner displays so that is a wash right now.
Wow…. um did you see Frazier play the outfield ? He can not do what gardner does . And for the last 12 years maybin had been half the player gardner has been
Also have you taken a look at gardner’s BSR or his stolen base success rate . He does indeed utilize his speed.
Just lol @ Clint Frazier being a 4th outfielder.
That would be a mistake
If they do, he’ll be a Ray by Wednesday…
Someone will claim him long before the Rays even get that chance.
Giants!
in the short term, releasing Maybin will be that much harder by having to watch Stanton K 2-3x every game.
i’m praying to the God of Only 12 Pitchers tonight
Acquiring Stanton was the big mistake…..38 homers don’t even up his 200K’s….nothing but a rally killer…all or nothing….can’t stand to see that closed stance and his absolute refusal to change….give me a couple more DJ’s and we’ll win this thing running away eve with the current pitching staff!
wave of emotions with that guy. he made a catch on a foul ball in right going into the stands the other night that i’m sure Frazier would have somehow managed to turn fair and into a home run and i was like “Heeeey alright RF defense!”
then the Ks and i was like “noooooo”
Agreed. I was at the game. The D is there, Stanton will come around = )
Trade Stanton, that should solve the problem.
Judge
Hicks
Stanton
Maybin
Ask Brett Garbage to retire or DFA him.
Let’s see this huge mistake incoming tomorrow
But… Gardner, measurably, isn’t garbage. And maybin hasn’t been useful for a really long time leading up to this latest power surge, which is almost surely unsustainable. Why is that a good idea? I’d love some evidence.
You are on the right side of this issue. Gardner has been a solid player for the Yankees for years, the same years that Maybin has been circulating around both leagues, and for a good reason, he has been a stiff. A brief warm streak doesn’t change that.
Gardner hasn’t been solid for years more like it. Theirs plenty of players they could’ve signed and got better production. Frazier has earned that spot anyway.
What? Gardner has been worth 9 bwar since 2017, including a 4.9 war number that first year. Can someone please give me measurable evidence that Gardner isn’t a good player? I’m willing to listen, I’m just hearing crickets.
I agree that Gardner should stay. Gardner can be a better 4th outfielder than Maybin when he cools down, but I don’t what to cut his hot streak now. I think that sending down Holder is the best move. He could benefit from time in the minors as he has seemingly lost it just like Chad Green, and Green is a lot better now.
His OBP is .317 last year it was .322 he is on the downward end of his career like most veteran players that have usually played a lot during their career. While Maybin is at .386 thus far this year both been in the league long time but I think Maybin with Thames helping out could have found something that he has now unleashed and therefore warrants more playing time over Gardner especially at the bottom dollar that the Yankees got Maybin for. In the end all will work out either Maybin fizzles or Gardner becomes a cheerleader all together or the starting 3 yet again gets hurt.
JUDGE slated to rule in Right Field for the Yankees !!!