There already might be some small blips on the radar of the Yankees’ ranks at spring training.
Slugging right-fielder Aaron Judge did not take batting practice on Tuesday as maintenance on his right shoulder continues, as reported by Newsday’s Erik Boland.
He took place in all other aspects of the team’s first full workout of spring training on Tuesday as the team remains cautious about the well-being of the face of their franchise.
Per George King of the New York Post, Judge underwent tests that did not “unearth anything serious.”
The right shoulder is a new area of concern for Judge, who has had his fair share of injury issues throughout his three-year career.
He had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder following his historic rookie campaign in 2017 in which he hit 52 home runs.
In each of his next two seasons, Judge missed at least 40 games.
In 2018, a broken wrist sidelined him for nearly two months after being hit by a pitch. Last year saw him miss 54 games with a left oblique strain.
The Yankees’ precaution is understandable given their recent run of luck on the health front.
They had 30 players spend time on the injured list last season, making their 103 wins an even more impressive feat.
There are still lingering effects from the difficult campaign, too. Aaron Hicks is expected to miss a sizable chunk of 2020 while he recovers from Tommy John surgery while Miguel Andujar attempts to make his way back from shoulder surgery.
Just before spring training, the Yankees also learned that starting pitcher James Paxton will miss two-to-three months after undergoing back surgery.
It’s a foregone conclusion that Judge is going to play a large part in the Yankees’ quest for World Series title No. 28 this season. Noted projectionist Steamer slates Judge to slash .254/.373/.525 with 41 home runs and 107 RBI this season.
After the acquisition of Gerrit Cole, they are the overwhelming favorites to represent the American League in the Fall Classic. The only thing that might get in their way is injuries, though.
