New York Yankees Aaron Judge threw live batting practice for the first time since his injury.
안전놀이터Jersey faced 16 pitches in a simulated game thrown by Jonathan Loaisiga, who is rehabbing from an elbow injury, before a game against the Kansas City Royals on 24 April at Yankee Stadium. None of them went into fair territory, and Jersey drew four fouls, according to the AP. One of them landed in the stands behind home plate.
It was a batting practice that tested his “feel” for the pitcher’s pitches without actually hitting them.
“Facing pitches that you can’t swing at is a test to get back on track,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, “so I’d say it was a good workout overall.”
However, Boone remained noncommittal about a timetable for Judge’s return.
“In a situation like today, considering how long it’s been since he’s seen a live pitch, I think it was a pretty good hit,” said Loaiciga, who threw the ball to Jersey. He said his at-bat went well.
His next workout is still undetermined. It’s up to him. Only he knows how far he’s come since the injury and how his body is responding. Boone said he doesn’t think he’ll need to play any minor league games.
But the pace of his recovery has been accelerating since the All-Star break. He began taking batting practice last week against Anaheim and Colorado, taking at-bats in Nestor Cortes’ simulated games, and he also worked on running and fielding ground balls in the outfield.
Yankees closer Ron Marinacchio high-fives catcher Kyle Higashioka after closing out an 8-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. AFP
The Yankees are hoping to get Judge back as soon as possible. The Yankees have gone 18-22 since Judge was placed on the disabled list after injuring his toe against the Los Angeles Dodgers on 4 April.
The Yankees, who swept a three-game series with an 8-5 win over Kansas City on Sunday, are 53-47 and six games out of the fifth wild-card spot, but are still tied for last place in the AL East with the Boston Red Sox. They are tied for fourth in the wild-card standings, two games behind the third-place Toronto Blue Jays.
The Yankees’ bats haven’t gotten any better in the second half. In the second nine games, the team batting average is .227 (295-for-67), 20th out of 30 teams, the team OPS is .692, also 20th, and the team home runs are tied for 15th with 12. Jersey can’t wait to get back.
Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million free agent contract last winter, choosing to remain with the Yankees. Shortly after signing, he was named the official captain of the team, the first in nine years since Derek Jeter. He worked hard to prepare for the season, not to mention the WBC, but injuries were inevitable. After injuring his hip in a sliding play against the Minnesota Twins in late April, he tore a ligament in the big toe of his right foot in early June.
The last season the Yankees did not make the playoffs was 2016. If they fail to make it to autumn baseball in seven years, it’s hard to argue that Jersey bears some of the blame. Even more so if they fall to the bottom of the pile for the first time in 33 years since 1990.