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'If Aaron Judge needs Tommy John…': Yankees fans fear the worst amid elbow injury scare
New York Yankees fans fear the worst with Aaron Judge facing what could be a massive injury scare - UCL tear followed by a Tommy John surgery.
New York Yankees fans fear the worst with Aaron Judge facing what could be a massive injury scare. The 33-year-old did not make it to the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies after facing issues with his elbow throughout the week. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that the team is awaiting the results of imaging on the right elbow.
Judge seemed uncomfortable on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays when he grabbed his right hand after a pitch. He had been used as a designated hitter in the next game. At the time, Boone said that ‘it was no big deal’.
However, the situation has changed since. According to the Yankees manager, the outfielder, a seven-time MLB All-Star, had difficulty throwing the ball from the outfield.
“He was fine during the day off, but last night he really struggled. He couldn't throw well from the outfield, so he was imaged today and now we're waiting for the results.”
With the Yankees sliding over the past two months, a major injury to Judge could dent their season hopes. The team is currently 56-47 and is five and a half games behind the lead in the American League East. They have lose three of their last four games, including a 12-5 defeat in the Phillies series opener.
Now, fans fear a UCL tear, which refers to an injury of the ulnar collateral ligament located on the inner side of the elbow. This type of tear would need a Tommy John surgery - sidelining Aaron Judge till potentially 2027.
“AARON JUDGE DOESN'T NEED TOMMY JOHN SURGERY! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏,” one fan wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Aaron Judge needing Tommy John would be one of the wildest things I’ve seen in baseball in a minute,” another one tweeted.
“If Aaron Judge needs Tommy John surgery just cancel the entire season and next,” a third fan wrote.
In the current season, Judge has had 129 hits, a .342 batting average, as well as 37 home runs and 85 RBIs in 103 games. These are MVP-worthy stats. His arm, however, is struggling. The 33-year-old has barely reached 55 mph in recent throws.
