The Yankees may be on the verge of the best news they’ve had in months, and the timing couldn’t be more obvious.
After Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Padres - a game that ended another frustrating series and left New York still four games behind the Rays in the AL East - the club optioned Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A Scranton. But there was no corresponding move, and that empty roster spot has set off a fresh wave of Aaron Judge speculation.
The Yankees head back to the Bronx for a six-game homestand against the Rockies and Mets starting Tuesday, and Judge had already been floating around the edges of that stretch in previous rumors. Greg Joyce of the New York Post confirmed that Clarke Schmidt will not be the player coming up to fill Rodriguez’s spot, which only sharpened the focus on Judge.
Before Sunday’s game, Aaron Boone said Schmidt needs more work in the minors before he’s ready to return. The right-hander has thrown just 4 2/3 innings on his rehab assignment, his first game action since Tommy John surgery last year.
That leaves Judge as the name everyone is circling.
When Boone was asked about a possible Tuesday return for Judge, he said, "I don't know, we'll see." Judge, meanwhile, did a pregame interview with Meredith Marakovits on Sunday after traveling with the team on the West Coast road trip and taking live batting practice for the first time since his injury. In that conversation, he said "hopefully I can get back out on the field as soon as possible."
That’s a noticeable shift from the usual fog around his status. Since suffering the rib injury, Judge has been pressed over and over about a timeline and hasn’t given reporters anything concrete. This time, the tone sounded different.
The Yankees also don’t appear to have many other options close to the finish line. Trent Grisham is likely done for the regular season with a hamstring injury.
Giancarlo Stanton is still a wait-and-see situation. Ryan Weathers just started throwing again.
Fernando Cruz isn’t close.
Judge’s own preference matters here, too. He has said he does not want a minor league rehab assignment, and Boone has indicated the team could instead build him back at the major league level with a mix of starts, shorter outings, off days and DH days.
"Maybe it's playing a game, having an off-day. Maybe it's playing 5, 6, 7 innings in a game and get him out.…
That setup has the feel of a club preparing to ease its star back without sending him anywhere else first. Judge, the reigning AL MVP, could be lined up to return for the stretch run and give the Yankees a much-needed jolt.
The read here is simple: Tuesday looks like a real possibility. Maybe he’s activated then, maybe he first appears in a game on Wednesday, then gets an off day Thursday before seeing action again during the Subway Series on Friday and Sunday. That’s not a guarantee, but it fits the way the Yankees have been talking.
For months, they’ve kept Judge’s status tight to the vest. Now they’re finally opening the door. And if the signs are right, the Rays may be about to get a lot less comfortable.
In Other News...
Yankees Have A Surprise Pitching Option As Return Timelines Drag On
The Yankees have a roster puzzle on their hands, and it is growing more complicated as two key pieces work their way back. Rookie right-hander Elmer Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A, opening a path for the club to look at Trevor MacGregor, a non-roster pitcher with no major league experience, as a possible stopgap on the staff.
Aaron Judge and Clarke Schmidt are both expected back soon, but neither is ready to be activated yet because each still has rehab work to complete. New York also does not have an open spot on its 40-man roster, so any return will require a corresponding move, which means the Yankees may need some short-term creativity before the more obvious reinforcements are actually available. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Just Reopened A Giancarlo Stanton Decision That Changes Everything
Giancarlo Stantons rehab has taken another turn, and it keeps the Yankees in a familiar holding pattern. Aaron Boone said Stanton has not been ruled out for the season after the slugger dealt with a right-calf strain, and Stanton has already been back to hitting in practice. For a team that has had to juggle injuries and roster fit all year, the mere possibility of getting him back in the mix is enough to keep the conversation alive.
The catch is that there is still no obvious path for Stanton to return right away. The Yankees do not currently have room on the roster, so any move involving him will have to wait on a combination of injuries and other roster decisions. With Stantons contract and age already prompting questions about what comes next, this latest update does more than answer his short-term health status. It reopens a bigger organizational decision the Yankees did not exactly ask to revisit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Still Face One Aaron Judge Concern Boone Couldnt Dodge
The Yankees left California with a split on the trip after a 4-3 loss to the Padres, and the focus quickly turned back to Aaron Judge and where his return stands. Judge has been out since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right rib, but he has started taking important steps forward again, including batting practice and defensive work as he ramps back up.
Elmer Rodrguez was optioned to Triple-A to create a roster spot, but the club still has not put a date on Judges comeback. He is expected to face live pitching soon, which is the kind of checkpoint that usually clarifies a recovery timeline, yet the Yankees are still waiting for the final piece before they can say when their captain might rejoin the lineup. [Read more 🡒]