Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees lineup on Tuesday night after missing 99 days due to a broken rib, going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in a 5-3 series-opening win over the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium, according to the Associated Press. A sellout crowd of 46,211 welcomed the three-time American League MVP back to right field, where he batted third and played six innings before being replaced.
Aaron Judge Makes Long-Awaited Return
The 99-day absence matched Judge’s uniform number, a statistical quirk the slugger noted to reporters after the game. When he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat in more than three months, fans rose for a standing ovation. Judge told the Associated Press that the reception felt reminiscent of his pursuit of the American League home run record during the 2022 season.
Rust at the Plate After Three-Month Layoff
Judge struck out in the bottom of the first inning after swinging under a four-seamer from rookie right-hander Gabriel Hughes. He later flied out to deep right-center in the fourth and took a called third strike on a full-count pitch from rookie left-hander Mark Manfredi in the sixth. All three of his at-bats started with 2-0 counts and ended on fastballs.
Speaking after the game, Judge assessed his performance candidly, telling reporters that it felt like the start of the year and acknowledging that he has work to do to improve.
Managing the Slugger’s Workload
Yankees manager Aaron Boone managed Judge’s workload carefully, sticking to a pre-game plan to play him for five to seven innings. Boone replaced Judge at the start of the seventh inning with Heliot Ramos, who went on to hit a three-run home run in the eighth.
Judge admitted to reporters that he respected his manager’s decision but was not happy about being pulled early. Boone explained to the Associated Press that while Judge felt ready to go the distance, it was necessary to be smart during his initial games back.
Offensive Struggles During the Recovery
The injury occurred on April 26 in Houston, when Judge attempted to avoid second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. during an unsuccessful try for a diving catch. He last played on May 31.
During Judge’s 99-day recovery, the Yankees went 45-39, compared to a 36-23 record through May 31. Team statistics compiled by Major League Baseball show that New York’s offense dipped during his absence, with the team batting average sliding from .243 down to .227 while ranking 29th in the majors over that stretch.
Looking Ahead to the Subway Series
Boone plans to give Judge a day off on either Wednesday or Thursday, and is considering resting him for one game during the upcoming weekend Subway Series against the New York Mets. The Yankees continue their series against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium.
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