The Yankees’ latest roster move made official what had already been obvious: Aaron Judge is not coming back anytime soon.
On Saturday, the club transferred Judge to the 60-day injured list, a procedural step that opened a 40-man roster spot for newly signed right-hander Bradley Hanner. Hanner was then optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after agreeing to a major league deal.
The move carries real weight because of what it says about Judge’s recovery. He has not played since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right first rib, and he went on the injured list June 5. Re-imaging on July 15 showed some healing, but not enough for him to resume baseball activities, leaving him limited mostly to lower-body work.
Before the injury, Judge was putting together another strong season. In 59 games, the three-time AL MVP hit .248 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .907 OPS, and he still earned his eighth All-Star selection.
The Yankees have felt his absence. They are 54-43, sitting second in the American League East and 2.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays after Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Without their captain in the lineup, they are 18-20, a stretch that has taken some of the shine off a season that once looked more comfortable.
Then came the criticism, and it came from someone who understands exactly what pinstripes demand.
Alex Rodriguez, a central figure on the last Yankees team to win a championship, spoke at a WFAN event and didn’t hold back. He said the current roster doesn’t carry the same championship memory that defined the Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera era.
“When everyone looks at Derek Jeter, there’s good feelings. Mariano Rivera, good feelings,” Rodriguez said. “If you look at our team (now), we have less than 1-2 championships in the dugout for a franchise that has 27.”
Rodriguez also put the pressure squarely on the organization as Judge’s window keeps narrowing.
“That window’s closing,” Rodriguez said. “And it puts tremendous pressure on Brian Cashman, the ownership, the fanbase. And what an absolute tragedy it would be to have one of the greatest players of our generation only go to one World Series and not win.”
With the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaching, Rodriguez pushed the Yankees toward a more aggressive approach, arguing that the American League is there for the taking.
“It’s a very simple formula. This is the weakest the American League has been in our lifetime,” Rodriguez said.
“You have a scenario where you could play the White Sox and the Rays and go to the World Series. So if you’re management, if you have an opportunity to go all-in, you gotta put all your chips in now.”
He also made clear how central Judge remains to everything the Yankees are trying to do.
“Aaron Judge is such a transformational player, but what he means in that clubhouse, what he means to the fan base, ownership, and his teammates, he’s just one of one,” Rodriguez said. “So, I think it’s very hard to win a championship without Aaron Judge.”
For now, the Yankees are left to navigate the season without their captain while trying to stay in the race. Ben Rice has been asked to help replace some of the missing power, with mixed results, but the offense has clearly felt the loss. Judge is on the 60-day injured list, his return remains uncertain, and the pressure on the front office is only getting louder.
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