ARLINGTON, Texas — New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has a mild hip strain that manager Aaron Boone said the team will continue to evaluate through the weekend before determining whether the reigning AL MVP will go on the injured list.
“In the grand scheme of things and big picture, we do feel like we got good news on it,” Boone said before Saturday’s game at Texas. “That said, we want to make sure we’re doing right by him and by us.”
Judge hasn’t played since coming out of the series opener Thursday night, when he was replaced in right field in the bottom of the fourth inning after striking out in his only two at-bats. That came a day after he landed awkwardly on his right when trying to steal third base at Minnesota on his 31st birthday.
Boone said Judge had shown “a lot of improvement” while being treated the past two days. He said the slugger wanted to hit Saturday, but that the team was holding him back from baseball activities.
“We’re going to wait to see today and tomorrow and see how we’re doing, to see if this is something we want to take a 10-day (IL stint), or if he is ready to play by Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday,” Boone said. “It will be something that we just kind of pay attention here.”
Judge, who hit an single-season AL-record 62 home runs last season, is hitting .261 with six homers and 14 RBIs in 26 games this year. He had played in every Yankees game until being out of the lineup Friday and Saturday.
The Yankees added Jake Bauers to their taxi squad from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. He was added to the 26-man roster Saturday, taking the spot of right fielder Franchy Cordero, who was optioned to Triple-A after Friday night’s game.
New York already was playing without outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (left hamstring strain) and Harrison Bader (left oblique strain), and third baseman Josh Donaldson (right hamstring strain). All are on the IL, along with six pitchers.
Without Judge, Anthony Rizzo takes over as the leading home run hitter in the lineup with five.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.