Aaron Judge Explains How Fractured Rib Injury Lingered All Offseason Long
By Dylan McCaffrey
New York Yankees All-Star Aaron Judge finally figured out what had been slowing him down early in Spring Training.
Judge sustained a rib injury after diving for the ball in September of last year, and the problem has lingered since.
Judge said that he felt “a crack and pop” in his chest on the diving catch attempt last September. With the postseason coming, he had a shot and kept playing. He thought it had healed by November when he resumed workouts.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 6, 2020
The injury has stuck around for six months, and the team will reassess his progress in two weeks while he rests.
Obviously Judge is optimistic about the healing process, but joining the batter's box after the two week timeline is probably unrealistic. Yankees skipper Aaron Boone said surgery to remove the rib is in play, but Judge and the team is reluctant to go to that extreme.
#Yankees skipper Aaron Boone says Aaron Judge has a rib fracture, says injury may date back to last September. ?
— Robert Flores (@RoFlo) March 6, 2020
Their run of injuries continues to be remarkable
Via @BryanHoch pic.twitter.com/ZbtOGhbmz2
It's could be surprising he was able (and allowed) to continue playing after he sustained a reported stress fracture in his first right rib. The Yankees 2019 medical staff doesn't have the best reputation with fans, so the fact this wasn't addressed or identified is concerning to say the least.
This is probably why they couldn’t pinpoint Aaron Judge’s injury. (Via Eric E. Coris M.D. & H. William Higgins, University of South Florida College of Medicine) pic.twitter.com/DUtbckhZK4
— Justin ⚾️ (@JustinMLB) March 6, 2020
Judge is essentially a guarantee to sit out Opening Day, but should he get a positive update in a few weeks he could be back sooner rather than later.