New York Yankees bench Aaron Judge as franchise awaits rib injury diagnosis
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has missed his third consecutive game as the franchise awaits further medical clarity regarding a bone bruise in his right rib.
The American League MVP underwent a CT scan on Thursday morning to investigate the source of ongoing right shoulder pain.
This follows an initial MRI scan earlier in the week which first revealed the bruising.
Manager Aaron Boone expects a conclusive diagnosis shortly after subsequent testing identified swelling in the affected area.
“I absolutely expect something in the next couple of hours,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians.
“He went for more testing today just because he’s got edema there. So, they want to get the most specific images they can to try and see exactly what we have.”
Previous rib issue and recent plate struggles
The 32-year-old slugger has a concerning history with similar issues, having suffered a stress fracture in a right rib during the spring of 2020.
That previous injury originally stemmed from a diving catch in September 2019.
Before this latest physical setback, the towering outfielder had been battling a significant slump at the plate.
He is currently hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs for the current campaign.
However, the prolific hitter has managed just one home run in his past 18 appearances.
New York forced into further outfield reshuffles
The absence of their talisman severely tests New York’s depth, with veteran Giancarlo Stanton also sidelined by a strained right calf.
Stanton has not featured since late April, forcing Boone to deploy inexperienced alternative options.
José Caballero, recently acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, started the first two games against Cleveland.
Meanwhile, rookie Max Schuemann was handed his first career start in right field on Thursday to cover for the missing superstar.