ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Judge Aaron sat back on Friday at the opening of the Yankees series against the Rays as the right-hander continues to fight the pain on his left side.
It was the second game in a row that the judge has been left out of the lineup between Thursdays during the team’s rest day.
“I just felt like I wanted to wait at least another day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “We’ll see where we are in 24 hours.”
The judge did batting practices and received treatment on Friday and Boone said the judge “probably” could have played.
“He just wants to play the long game and not force anything, just to be safe right now,” Boone said. “I’m excited by what we’ve seen in the cage.”
Despite his score in each of his previous two games, the judge appeared to be upset at the bases and on the right field during his last appearance on Tuesday. Boone has said the pain judge developed in this game was not the reason the judge was retired after seven innings on Monday or that he held the last three Grapefruit League games during spring training.
Boone acknowledged the judge’s injury history, especially related to the oblique muscle, which he considered the decision to be cautious.
“Everything is baked on the cake,” Boone said. “It’s no secret how important it is for our club. Certainly, the history of this injury is not something we want to aggravate.
But Boone added that he did not know exactly what the judge’s current injury is and whether it is, in fact, the oblique that is the root of the problem.
“I would say nothing limits it,” Boone said. “We make sure more, with any soft tissue, like a calf, a hamstring, a side, of those things that you want to feel good when you let it tear and not spoil things or make something worse.”
Asked if the judge was hurt, Boone said, “I don’t know how to answer that.”
“I don’t have him in training [Friday]”I think I could probably play. We’ll have more evaluation in 24 hours.”
Boone said he also had in mind the fact that he is still in early April and, if the judge is healthy for the rest of the season, that absence will be considered minor.
“The long game makes it go away,” Boone said. “If he publishes, he goes out and has the type of season [where he plays] 140 or 150 times, it will crush it. “
Since the 28-year-old judge has only had one of these seasons in his career, it’s a big “yes”. Meanwhile, the waiting game continues.