Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has finally received a diagnosis after being slowed early in camp. He’s dealing with a stress fracture in his first right rib, skipper Aaron Boone tells reporters including James Wagner of the New York Times (via Twitter) and Rustin Dodd of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It’s certainly good that the organization has finally isolated the evasive problem. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best possible result. Clearly, there’s no chance now that Judge will be ready for Opening Day.
For the time being, the plan is to allow Judge an additional two weeks of rest before reassessing. Where things go from there remains to be seen.
Reading between the lines, it seems hope remains that Judge will be able to rehab and work back to full speed once he has fully rested. But Boone made clear that there are surgical possibilities that will be considered if necessary once the two-week waiting period is up.
mimmo
WTF IS WRONG WITH HIM AND THIS TEAM
hohnav21
Yea man it’s ridiculous
all in the suit that you wear
Looks like a late April/early May return for Judge at the earliest.
seth3120
Can this really be happening again. On another thread someone made the comment that the Yankees would regress because all of those guys they brought in outperformed their projections by a big margin. I argued that they wouldn’t need that to happen again because there was no way they could deal with the type of injuries they had last year and they’d be counting on guys that actually have the talent to sustain success. But now I’m really starting to wonder if this team is cursed or what? I’m not a Yankees fan by any means but when they got Cole they were my pick to win it all this year but these injuries change everything. Their rotation looks thin even with Cole and more of the same injuries from key position players. Can you imagine if they were to lose another starter maybe even Cole? Ouch that would be absolutely brutal. But remember odds reset so it’s just as likely they’ll lose another starter as any other team in baseball and they just can’t afford to sit on their hands they need to look outside this team is too good to trot out some in house kid that they have no idea what to expect from.
bass86
they have too many steroid users. That’s why they get so many injuries. This is the New York Yankees. The biggest cheating team in the history of Major League baseball.
Begamin
lol Steroids would help him heal faster
Phanatic 2022
Must be an astros fan
jmaverik
So true. Biggest cheaters in baseball but protected by the Commissioner.
TheHuff
Your a freaking Astros fan and are talking about cheaters seriously?! Got nothing better to do that troll on Yankee news
Stratocaster
You’re an a$$
reflect
What is he stressed about?
yamotha
His first right rib
boo rad
So surgery… remove the rib he’s stressed about and what, replace it with a metal one?
VonPurpleHayes
We can rebuild him. We can make him stronger.
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
And it will only cost six million dollars.
dugdog83
Can’t use metal ribs in the majors, it’s gotta be wood.
fox471 Dave
looiebelongsinthehall
That was in 79’s dollars.
jlc1991
LMAO^
brucenewton
Beltran isn’t with the yankees this year.
Moneyballer
RIBS! It was all you can eat at Hometown BBQ. It’s not sitting well.
CaptainThurman
There is something wrong that hasn’t been isolated yet, but this team is the most injured team in baseball the past 2-3 years.
Ruben_Tomorrow 2
Angels have something to say about that.
top jimmy
And the Mets.
VonPurpleHayes
Mets were very healthy in 2019. More so than any team in their division.
top jimmy
The post I replied to said the past 2-3 years. Not just last year.
30 Parks
There are other teams equally, if not more plagued by injuries over that time span, but fans of those teams don’t whine like Yankees fans.
andyg37
Yankees set a record last year for people going on the IL…
puddles
And not just # of people, the quality of players was unprecedented as well.
costergaard2
103 wins = not whining…
bass86
it’s called over use of performance-enhancing drugs.
ChangedName
Wonder what random AAA scrub the Yankees pick up will suddenly become a star for them this year.
whynot 2
PEDs are a wonderful thing
nmendoza7
That’s embarrassing.
mimmo
Remember when Dave O’Brien implied Urshela was juicing with absolutely zero evidence
looiebelongsinthehall
Not saying it didn’t happen but no I don’t remember it and I just tried to look it up online. As nothing was found, apparently it wasn’t much about anything. Please provide a link. All I ever heard anyone talking about was how he and so many others may have benefitted from the juiced ball used last season.
CrookedAsstros
Lol wow what an original comment, totally ignore the juiced ball improving the offensive numbers of barely-known players league-wide in 2019. I guess the whole Twins lineup is juicing too, right? Idiot
top jimmy
C-Sanchez
1B-Voit
2B-LeMahieu
SS-Torres
3B-Urshela
RF-Frazier
CF-Gardner
LF-Tauchman
DH-Andujar
Not a bad lineup until Judge, Stanton, and Hicks return.
coldbeer
That’s a pretty weak lineup without those guys actually.
mimmo
are you ok bud?
robluca21
Everyone it that lineup had an ops over .800 last year except for andujar who was hurt
Soooooo if that’s a bad lineup just lol
TradeRumorUser
I agree you really have to hope a handful of those players repeat last year’s success
MetsFan22
Nobody is scared of that lineup. So many regression candidates.
rocky7
Mets fans lately have so much to say about the Yankees…..”regression candidates”…something you know about when looking at the Mets lineup I suppose?
kc38
I know none of the Rays aces are scared of that lineup
rocky7
Didn’t know the Rays had multiple “Aces”? Guess you called down and asked about them being scared?
Give a call when the Rays actually win something.
Rudy Zolteck
A healthy Snell, Glasnow, Morton, Chirinos, Yarbrough, and then their circus of bullpen freaks shouldn’t fear any lineup. Three of those, when healthy, have flashed ace quality.
TheTrotsky
Nobody is scared of the Mets.
kc38
Lol Snell, Morton, Glasnow would all be #1’s on 90% of other teams. So yes they are all aces absolutely. Oh yeah because the past is what matters right? Let’s count up all the Yankees championships like anyone gives a crap lol. I mean I’m pretty sure the season and standings restart every single year so the past literally means nothing
yanks02026
I love how Glasnow is an ACE because he pitched great for SEVEN GAMES.
Lets see him do it for little longer than SEVEN GAMES. Before 2019, he was nothing special.
yanks02026
You mean Blake Snell who aint actually healthy still and has elbow problems.
royhobbs
Regression candidates……..haha
kc38
I mean he’s had the potential since he was a top 100 prospect and has shown flashes and last year put it together. And because Snell isn’t healthy because he got a shot now he’s not an Ace …. okay lol
MetsFan22
Nobody on the Mets is a regression candidate. Alonso’s should hit less homeruns but his avg obp slg and ops will be about the same.
The Mets lineup rn is better than Yankees current one
MetsFan22
You should be. You won’t like being the 2nd best team in NY this year.
jleve618
Regression LOCKS.
Chasefor28
Look at Snell’s numbers from last year.
luckyh
You are counting on many to play out of their minds again. Good luck with that.
brucenewton
A few of those guys had the lucky BABIP going on last year. Plus there’s a strong odor from the rotation.
ctyank7
No guarantee that Hicks will be productive and less of a guarantee that Judge’s surgery shelves him till August.
larry48
Judge and Stanton made of glass.
MetsFan22
Don’t forget severino lol
ctyank7
He’s already with the team: Rosell Herrera.
TheHuff
A Mers fan talking about team’s having weak lineups that’s funny
rocky7
Its a scream man….they have so much to say but I guess when you root for the Mets, what else can you do but talk about teams then have been successful over and over again each and every season.
MetsFan22
You don’t follow baseball. Apparently… Mets have one of the most talented lineups
ctyank7
He’s already there: Roswell Herrera.
ctyank7
And of course EE missed time, too. Fractured wrist when HBP.
Letting him walk might go down as penny wise and pound foolish.
nsmith12641
This isn’t related to this article, but does anybody know of any good websites to check transactions for NPB or KBO leagues? I’ve been searching to see some overseas transactions but I haven’t been able to find much.
iladelph53
mykbo.net/KBO_news
pburns65
one of these years he’ll be healthy. kid could get hurt in church
PhilsPhan
Oh man, I like that. I’ll have to start using it!
brucenewton
Church Lurch.
jim stem
Now I can’t get the Crash Test Dummies out of my head.
MetsFan22
The Yankees are going through what the Mets went thru in 2016-18
fred-3
No, that would be like Aaron Judge having to retire due to injury
Rangers29
That’s not Wright man…
looiebelongsinthehall
Ellsbury = Wright based on contract and inability to stay on the field.
royhobbs
Except the Yankees had back to back 100 win seasons.
MetsFan22
The yanks won 100 games this year? I didn’t know you were a time traveler…..
2017 they weren’t as injured as these two years
royhobbs
18 and 19
Manfredsajoke
Who cares about the Yankees winning 100 regular season games? How many World Series championships have they won in the last 10 years?
royhobbs
Zero
brucenewton
That’s all I hear now from yank fans. 103,103,…. we don’t need these guys, 103,103,…it used to be 27,27,27. Or 28 like it’s a foregone conclusion that never happens. Times change I guess.
Fg-3
How is it possible to take this long to diagnose this?? I mean seriously?? So all of us Yankee fans can kill Stanton… but Judge just keeps smiling and missing games. Someone needs to figure out how to keep Judge on the field.. or trade him for someone who plays 150 a year. Get me Puig and fast. I mean tonight.
The Human Toilet
Stress fractures are hard to detect, same thing happened to YU Darvish in 2018 as well.
Rangers29
Really? The Yankees went from WS favorites to injury plagued WS favorites! I mean Clint Frazier is good, and he’d be a starter on any other team. Tauchman is good too. Those two along with Hicks in CF makes for a good outfield! That’s with the bench players becoming starters! This team is crazy.
lamars
Isn’t Hicks out recovering from Tommy John surgery?
top jimmy
Hicks will be back midseason. Gardner will have full-time CF duties until Hicks returns.
Rangers29
Well crap, I forgot about that. Okay it’s below average, but still fine.
Dorothy_Mantooth
Yet again another Yankee fan overvaluing Clint Frazier. He could start for 6-8 teams max in this league and most would be AL teams that need a legitimate DH. He’s an average hitter and below average outfielder. .265/24/80 grows on trees in the OF. Yankees lose a lot by replacing Judge or Stanton with Frazier & Tauchman
Baseballallday
Maybe you’re another non yankee fan undervaluing him based on a very small sample size
looiebelongsinthehall
Still has potential but given the team’s injury history, they would have given him a longer leash if they believed in him. Others got their opportunities and never gave the team a reason to reassess.
TheHuff
Yeah they lose about 300 strikeouts too
MoRivera 1999
Frazier had a .975 OPS before he got injured last year. Let’s see how he does if he’s healthy this year.
TJECK109
The way this team has injuries they will be the first ones to get the corona virus
Ejemp2006
Massage didn’t have happy ending. Surprised, baby got back, just like Correa?
DarrenDreifortsContract
Judge and Stanton are the weakest duo that I’ve ever seen. The M&M Boys must be rolling in their graves!
Munsonmanor4
Rib? Wasn’t the earlier reports talking about a shoulder issue with Judge? How the flip do they confuse that? Might explain their injury issues the last couple of years!
jim stem
First rib is pretty much right under the collar bone.
pasha2k
Stress fractures not good cuz they can reappear again. I feel badly for Judge , good guy n player. He needs his bones assessed. What were his injuries before? Any bone issues?
Russianblue35
Stress fractures don’t always show up on X rays right away
Dorothy_Mantooth
They were just looking in the wrong place, focusing too much on the shoulder and not enough on his core. They finally found someone to do a thorough scan on him and uncovered the issue. How about a Verdugo for Judge trade? Stress fracture for stress fracture.
pasha2k
Haha let’s do it!
SupremeZeus
According to Boone/Yanks guesstimate timeline, they believe this dates back to Sept. If so, nonunion at 6 months would increase the likelihood of surgery. Lets see it the 2 weeks rest + bone stimulation promotes non-surgical healing. Good luck to Judge.
Thomas Lane
Crazy! Who is next to go I wonder?? Dare I say Cole?
pasha2k
If Cole goes down the Evil Empire is still strong enuff to win division, but not WS
TradeRumorUser
yeahhh nooo. who if cole gets hurt behind him are you truly expecting to give quality innings? tanaka with his slight tear in elbow or happ(who was shopped this offseason) or severino… wait nvm or Paxton… wait nvm or German actually nvm.
looiebelongsinthehall
If Cole gets hurt, impact issues felt in the bullpen big time and like last year overuse by July could kill dreams in October. Don’t underestimate the Rays or even Boston. Sometimes teams on paper don’t equate to real life. No need to look far. Just back to 2018.
brucenewton
Bullpen will be on fumes late, even with Cole. If Cole goes down I can see them missing the playoffs all together.
IronBallsMcGinty
Maybe they should serve Aaron’s rib sandwiches at the concession stands in Yankee stadium.
whyhayzee
This took 6 months to figure out? Suspicious.
MoRivera 1999
You’re suspicious. Like Ortiz.
fair-critic
tough situation. hope he keeps his head high and doesnt need that rib removed.
Dorothy_Mantooth
If this happened to a hockey player, they’d wrap it and he’d back on the ice for his next shift. Give him a pain killing shot and get him back on the field. People live with stress fractures every day. Suck it up and play some baseball!
robluca21
Advocating for the use of narcotics . Ok then
Cubguy13
Actually a pain killing shot can also be considered methylprednisolone, which is a cortico steroid involved with reducing inflammation and thus reducing pain..ok then
pasha2k
Long term use of cortisone does bad stuff to body parts.
looiebelongsinthehall
Depends on injection site.
pasha2k
Stress Fx bad stuff, means underlying problems.
LarryCera
True. This probably goes back to the oblique injury. A dive isn’t going to cause a stress fracture unless the injury is already there and it exacerbates it. More likely is the probability that he favored his oblique causing this stress injury. Rowers often get this rib stress fracture from using one side or set of muscles in a disproportional amount to the other side.
YankeesBleacherCreature
For someone who always pretends to sound like some expert baseball physiologist, this troll post is a huge letdown coming from you.
DTD_ATL
I didn’t know hockey players swung bats, threw baseballs, and made diving plays
brucenewton
Hockey players just play the fastest most physical sport on the planet. Regardless, they don’t miss much time, if any, from injuries that sideline baseball players for weeks or months.
turner9
They don’t
But they do play a more physically demanding sport which is full contact while swinging sticks in nearly the same motion as a baseball swing all while balancing on knives strapped to their feet
But yes, your point still stands i guess. They cant throw the puck down the ice therefore baseball wins!
mlbnyyfan
Trade him he’s always injured
emt126
So glad I sold all his rookie cards.
whyhayzee
Will he be able to hit Matt Cain on the eve of when he has his rib removed?
imindless
@mo4life lol
padreforlife
Too much powder in body.
Sadler
From swinging too hard? Is that how you get a stress fracture in a rib?
DTD_ATL
Could be from a number of things… swinging, throwing, diving, lifting
brucenewton
NYMets973
Puig to Yankees 1 yr 5 mill or minors deal at this stage I think he would jump
qbass187
This is what steroids does to the body
pinstripes17
hey qbass, you are a moron
Dorothy_Mantooth
From article on rib stress fractures:
Every athlete wants to know how long the injury will take to heal. Unfortunately, there is no way to know for certain when the injury will be fully recovered, but most rib stress fractures will heal within 3 months, although some may take 6 months, or even longer if athletes don’t allow the ribs to adequately rest. Often athletes can do other athletic activities without aggravating their healing stress fracture. For example, a rower may not be able to row without pain, but they may be able to do other activities to maintain their fitness.
Treatment often takes many months for full resolution of symptoms, and many athletes struggle to come back to sports. One of the most challenging aspects of returning to sports is the psychological component of being worried about a recurrence of the injury. The best approach is when athletes move away from the sport, and not try to shortcut the healing process.
So Judge could be looking at yet another multi-month stint on the IL. Too much weight lifting and tire flipping.
pasha2k
So much sucking up the injury n play. Stress Fx is a symptom of something not right, that needs research.
Baseballallday
That’s not true. It’s from repetitive stress or force on the bone and is actually really common. We see it in runners all the time. Probably means he’s overtraining or ramped up his activity too quickly but I’d be hard pressed to think this osteoporosis in an otherwise healthy male in his 20s…
LarryCera
This is true and the rower reference is correct. I would add that rowers get these injuries from using one side to the detriment of another. This is what may have happened if he favored one side during his oblique injury. Then the dive in the outfield would have exacerbated this already-present injury.
Baseballallday
It’s not true that a stress fracture is a sign that he has an underlying problem. I wasn’t referencing the rowers at all. Pasha was saying this means he has a health problem which I don’t agree with. I’m just saying we see stress fractures all the time in healthy people. You can get one from overtraining or going too hard too quickly. This is not a sign that his bones are brittle or he has a CT disorder
brucenewton
WebMD says stress fractures are very common with steroid use.
MoRivera 1999
Different kinds of steroids than the ones you’re insinuating.
VonPurpleHayes
I wany my babyback babyback babyback babyback…
papasmurf25
The head scratcher here is if it happened last September and still hasnt healed then why would it in the next 2 weeks ?!?
Dorothy_Mantooth
Same exact thing happened with Alex Verdugo, except his fracture was in his lower back and dates back to August. The Red Sox were saying in February that he only needs a few more weeks until he can start baseball activities. Must be some magical healing power in that Florida weather!
pasha2k
Stress Fxs reoccur, unless they find out what, if any, is the problem.
anthonyd4412
He needs a spare rib
Bashing Weiss
I never knew how many reports of stress fractures were linked to steroids. Not saying that’s what it is, just interesting.
pasha2k
Xactly Bash
Baseballallday
I think the articles you’re referencing are referring to a different type of steroid. Corticosteroids (like prednisone, dexamethasone, methylpred, ect) are anti inflammatories used by doctors all the time and are linked to stress fractures. I could be wrong but I’m less aware of PED being connected to stress fractures although it is possible (they do mess with hormones which can affect bone density),
Adampunk13
Bartolo Colon on the IL for being constipated
chip chipperson
Next thing they’ll all be diagnosed with Coronavirus
TradeRumorUser
lmfaoooo don’t worry Yankee fans maybe on coles off days he can learn to shagg balls in right XD
bobg529
You know they never talk about Encarnacion, but he was a godsend for the Yankees last year.
pasha2k
You forgot Beltran to advise them all.
Marius
He had a grand total of one hit in the playoffs and started to look like baseball was passing him by
HarveyD82
the jays and Os arent gonna rub for the division. just like last year, Yankees will make the playoffs. They can beat the scrubs of the AL and still win it. injuries shminjuries. they’ve proven they can overcome them
DTD_ATL
Overcoming them once doesn’t mean they’ll do it again. It’s also unlikely that those out of nowhere players produce at the same level.
OilCanLloyd
Don’t lump the Jays with the O’s. Jays are about ten wins better this year. If they can get off to a decent start, Pearson could be the difference.
pasha2k
Nothing can really stop the Evil Empire flight to the WS.
OilCanLloyd
Just themselves. And it’s happening! Spend the most. Injured the most. It’s poetic justice.
StPeteStingRays
RRT= resting rib therapy or rib replacement therapy
BlueSkies_LA
I’ve heard of problems that were elusive, but never one that was evasive.
luckyh
Is McDonald’s bringing back the McRib sandwich this year?
jmaverik
I wonder why Judge hits so many more home runs at home. Hmm, but no investigation on the cheating Yanks.
whyhayzee
“What got the Astros in trouble is that they used technology that may have been a bridge too far,” Samson said. “But there isn’t one team, not one, who did not use cameras in order to help them steal signs.“
its_happening
Yep. Every team is trying to gain an edge. That’s baseball. That’s been it’s history.
Dorothy_Mantooth
No other team used cameras and a decoding program to steal signs and then signal the batter directly from the dugout. Using a runner at 2nd to try and steal signs based on what the team learned from video tapes is very common and up until this point has been deemed acceptable by most teams, but stealing live signs via camera and signaling the batter directly from the dugout crossed the line of gamesmanship and was deemed to be flat out cheating by a jury of their peers. It will be interesting to read the report on Boston but I’m guessing the backlash and penalties will be very minor compared to what Houston will have to deal with this year, especially from the road crowds. I wonder if Astro hitters will start wearing ear plugs to drown out the boos.
Valkyrie
Actually you have absolutely NO WAY to know that is true.
Valkyrie
If you think they will be bothered by your fans booing, you’ve never played an organized sport. Or if you have and taunting bothered you, you shouldn’t have been there.
Dorothy_Mantooth
Probably because Yankee Stadium is a whiffle ball park.
rocky7
Amazing what air through a ball will do….just like air through that “mind” of yours!
longpantslow
I blame the medical department. I’d they can’t keep 20 year old healthy they should be fired.
yankfann
They were.
danlwebb5
He will never be healthy. Same as Stanton. Their body frames can’t handle the flexibility required to play baseball continuously.
axisofhonor25
Between him and Stanton is the reason this team won’t win the WS
Moneyballer
Nah it’s about pitching. They could get these guys healthy for the playoffs. They need solid starting pitching if they want to win in october.
Moneyballer
Yankees dropping like flies. The Rays could quickly sneak up in this division at this rate. What is the status of Stanton? The rotation certainly doesn’t scare anyone anymore.
rocky7
The rotation of last year didn’t “scare anyone anymore” either and they won 103 games…..
Think you forgot the Yankees most important pitching assets;
First they have the Ace they coveted in Cole to match up with the top guy on the other team.
Secondly, they have a terrific bullpen that can match up with any lineup in either league…..starters only need to go 5 and then the bullpen can take over.
Third, Paxton will be coming back and if he’s anything like the Paxton that we saw in the last 2 months of the season, a top 3 of Cole, Paxton, and Tanaka can match up with anybody in the playoffs (if they get there).
Finally, name a team in either league that has scares anybody with both their stating pitching and their bullpen….NONE….some starting staffs on paper are better, and some bullpens on paper MAY match up with the Yankees but can’t think of a single team that has it going with both starters and relievers.
bigwestbaseball
Judge is hurt way too much. He better sign an extension for WAY below expectations before he gets traded for a prospect. He and Greg Bird can play for the Mariners.
TradeRumorUser
crazy 68,285,714 combined on the IL for the yanks that’s literally more than the rays payroll for this year
Valkyrie
And the Rays have won just as many rings in the last 10 years too.
Sid Bream
The Judge has cracked.
Valkyrie
All those dreams of a title that was absolutely guaranteed when the Yankees paid over 300 million for one arm?
Going going gone down the swirling drain of the trainers hot tub.
rocky7
A couple of points;
First the Yankees still won 103 games with a carousel of players last year filling in for those injured….2 years in a row of the same luck and performance….doubtful but possible with both the ML level team left, the farm system they have, and most importantly the farm and financial assets they have to go out and get what they need when they need it.
Secondly, the Yankees didn’t anoint themselves the favorites of anything….baseball fans, many of whom who root for other teams, and the bookies anointed them….not the Yankee players themselves.
This is why you play 162….nobody ever got the WS trophy for the team on paper.
Boogaloo
And why are they gone, because you wish it was? Lol, It’s 162 games and the season is 3 weeks away. Talk about overreacting because you’re bitter heart wishes it was so.
Go bet money on them missing the playoffs off you’re so confident, my guess is you don’t have the guts to back up your own words.
jmaverik
Ha we can only hope. The biggest cheaters may have karma coming around to slap them on the butt. Their fake outrage on the “cheating” scandal was even over the top for that franchise.
Sherm
They need to take a deep look into their training staff and team doctors. Injuries will happen all the time, but I’m more concerned that these injuries keep happening, then months go by and then they say there is a problem. They have so much money invested in these players I would think at the very least they would do a very thorough end of the season check to see if there are any issues (and before spring training as well). Especially after the season they had last year! Like I said injuries will happen, but they have to start being more proactive. There is no way Judge’s injury should have gone undetected since the end of last season!
Boogaloo
How the hell did that team win 103 games last year, the whole team was hurt and it’s happening again
GreenBay astros
Can we just skip the charade and just find a way to blame this on the Astros? They are the ONLY team to use cameras…they also have double agent trainers that infiltrate enemy club houses. Obviously this is what’s happening. Mlb needs to pull their heads out their “you know whats” and get this solved. No more cameras. No more double agents. Period.