The Yankees have been the best team in baseball thanks to the excellence of star outfielder Aaron Judge.
However, New York is holding its breath after the slugger left Tuesday's game in the third inning after taking a pitch to his left hand. Outfielder Trent Grisham took his place in the lineup.
The towering outfielder is off to another stellar season in the Bronx. Judge entered the contest against Baltimore slashing .299/.425/.686 with 26 home runs and 64 RBIs. He is currently batting .393 with six homers and 19 RBIs in June.
Here's the latest on Judge's injury.
Aaron Judge injury update
Judge left the game against the Orioles after taking a 94-mph fastball from Baltimore starter Albert Suarez. The pitch came on a 1-2 count, as the heater ran too inside.
no no no no no pic.twitter.com/yewN2xCn9s
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 19, 2024
It was clear that Judge was in pain after taking the pitch to the hand, however he initially stayed in the game. He eventually came around to score on a two-RBI single by DH Giancarlo Stanton, but Grisham replaced him once his turn came back around in the order the next inning.
At the time of his exit, the center fielder was 1-for-1 with a run scored in two plate appearances in the game against the AL East rival. It's unclear what the exact ailment is for Judge.
The injury comes just days after Dodgers star Mookie Betts fractured his hand as a result of a hit by pitch. The Los Angeles outfielder was struck by a 98-mph fastball from Royals reliever Dan Altavilla. Betts is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, but he will not require surgery.
Yankees clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits tweeted that Judge will undergo imaging at a local hospital and will see the team doctor on Wednesday.
Aaron Judge left tonight's game in the 4th inning after being hit by a pitch in the left hand. He will undergo imaging at NY Presbyterian this evening and is expected to be seen by Yankees Head Team Physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad #yankees
— Meredith Marakovits (@M_Marakovits) June 19, 2024
UPDATE: ESPN baseball reporter Jorge Castillo tweeted later Tuesday night that X-rays on Judge's hand came back negative. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Wednesday Judge would not be in the lineup and was considered day-to-day, hoping he could play on Thursday.
Aaron Judge said tests on his left hand were negative. No fracture. Great news for the #Yankees.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) June 19, 2024
