New York Yankees star Aaron Judge cleared to resume light training
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has been cleared to resume light physical activity following a rib fracture and remains confident he will play again this season.
The 34-year-old has not featured for the Major League Baseball franchise since 31 May because of a stress fracture in his right rib.
Following a scan on Tuesday, medical staff permitted the three-time American League MVP to begin running and upper-body resistance exercises.
“Oh, I’ll be back this season. I don’t know why I wouldn’t be.”
The formidable slugger added that returning to the field was always his primary objective.
Hitting remains the ultimate test
Despite the positive medical update, the American has not yet been cleared to resume baseball-specific activities.
He will require further imaging on the healing bone before being allowed to swing a bat or throw a ball.
“I think that’s going to be the ultimate test, is hitting. That’s the most violent of it all, more than running or lifting and stuff like that.”
The injury originally occurred when the outfielder dived for a ball on his birthday in late April.
He bravely played through the pain for over a month before being placed on the injured list in early June.
Yankees desperate for offensive spark
In his absence, New York’s offensive production has plummeted dramatically.
Since the beginning of June, the team ranks among the worst in the major leagues for runs scored and overall batting metrics.
This alarming slump prompted general manager Brian Cashman to acquire Luis Garcia Jr and Heliot Ramos before Monday’s trade deadline.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that his star player understands the urgency of the situation.
“I think he certainly wants to push the envelope as much as he possibly can but also understands that healing needs to happen with this.”
With just 52 days remaining in the regular season, the Bronx Bombers currently trail the Tampa Bay Rays by four games in their division.
The returning veteran endorsed the recent roster additions, stating that chasing down the Rays remains the squad’s most important goal.