Aaron Judge’s return from his elbow injury has Yankees fans scratching their heads, but GM Brian Cashman is finally offering some clarity on what’s really happening with the team’s superstar.
Judge spent just 10 days on the IL in late July with a right elbow flexor strain. That’s the minimum stay. But here’s where it gets interesting – he came back as a DH for nearly a month before returning to right field last week.
The thing that’s got everyone talking? Judge hasn’t been making those cannon throws from right field that we’re used to seeing. Instead, he’s playing it safe with shorter tosses to cutoff men.
Cashman spoke with Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and revealed the Yankees “truncated the rehab” of Judge’s injury. Translation: they cut his recovery time short and are essentially finishing his rehab at the major league level.
“The return to play protocols were adjusted … so we’re simulating that in the big leagues,” Cashman explained.
That explains why Judge is still “walking that tightrope of when to throw the thunderbolt and when to play it safe,” according to the GM.
It’s an unusual approach, but it seems to be working where it matters most – at the plate.
After a slow start following his return, Judge is heating up at exactly the right time. Over his last 15 games, he’s hitting .340 with six home runs. Even better, in his last seven games he’s posting a .381 average with four homers.
The Yankees are clearly prioritizing Judge’s bat over his arm strength as they gear up for October. Given his recent production, that strategy looks pretty smart right about now.
