BRONX — The Yankees needed to make a corresponding move to get Aaron Judge back into the lineup, and that turned out to be placing Oswald Peraza on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain.
The stint on the IL will be retroactive to May 6. Peraza had suffered the injury last week during the Yankee 4-3 extra-inning win over the Cleveland Guardians and manager Aaron Boone hinted on Monday that a stint on the IL could be an option for Peraza.
Boone didn’t sound too concerned about the severity of the injury when he spoke with reporters on Tuesday. Peraza had also been spotted taking batting practice at Yankee Stadium the day before.
“He’s actually been doing really well the last few days,” Boone said before the game. “I think just getting over that final hump where that kind of side to side, make a play in the hole, there’s still that hesitancy. Residual feeling of it. You know, he’s been hitting, running great. He actually looks good taking ground balls and everything, but I think there’s just that he’s got that apprehension. So we’ve been a little reluctant to go to him because of not wanting to put him in the field.”
The Yankees manager said that the decision gives the team a few extra days to get Peraza right and noted that he could start a rehab assignment “within the next several days.” Boone did not anticipate Peraza needing more time after the required period.
The decision allowed the Yankees to get Judge back on the active roster after plenty of speculation over who would be sent down in order to make room for the slugger. Peraza had been a name in the discussion along with the like of Aaron Hicks, who has faced plenty of scrutiny already this season by the way he has played.
Peraza has struggled a bit as well during his time in the majors this year. He’s batted .188 and had an OBP of .316 in 38 plate appearances.
Judges’ return has been one the Yankees have been anxiously waiting for since they placed him on the IL. The team has been struggling to tread water and sat 10 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East going into Tuesday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics.
The slugger should give the Yankees a significant offensive boost by being back in the lineup as they face the Athletics and then the Rays beginning on Thursday.
“It’s Aaron judge. MVP, great player,” Boone said about the return. “As we get him back and others — we’ve seen with Harrison — then you start adding length to the lineup. Just make it overall more challenging, but one of the game’s great players back in your lineup and our leader and all that he brings between the lines and outside. Excited obviously we get him back.”
