Yankees' Aaron Judge leaves game early with 'right hip discomfort'
Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts to striking out in the first inning of a baseball game as Texas Rangers' Sandy Leon prepares to throw the ball back to the mound Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP/Tony Gutierrez
ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge’s right hand might have come through Wednesday afternoon unscathed, but "right hip discomfort" forced the Yankees star out of Thursday's series opener against the Rangers.
Judge, who jammed the hand on a headfirst slide into third — he was thrown out trying to steal — during a victory over the Twins, started in rightfield Thursday night.
Judge, however, did not come out to his position for the bottom of the fourth, replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera. Judge struck out in his first two at-bats of the night against Andrew Heaney.
Judge said the hand was “good” after Wednesday’s game and Aaron Boone said “No, no” on Thursday when asked if he considered sitting Judge in the game because of the hand.
“I considered giving him a day (off) today and I might in the series, but no, after talking through it with him and the trainers . . . once he was all right today, I feel good about that,” Boone said.
Only two Yankees — Judge and Anthony Volpe — have appeared in each of the team’s first 26 games.
Judge hit his AL record-setting 62nd homer in this ballpark last season.
“Relief that it was over,” Judge said with a smile before Thursday’s game of his biggest memory from that Oct. 5 night when he lined a 1-and-1 slider from righty Jesus Tinoco 391 feet into the first row of seats in left to set the record. “We could move on and start playing some baseball. That was all that was really on my mind.”
Oh no, Lo
Righty Jonathan Loaisiga, on the IL since April 6 with right elbow inflammation, threw on Wednesday but arrived at the Stadium feeling “sore,” Boone said.
“We’re going to see what’s going on there,” the manager added.
Boone said he didn’t know if any tests were scheduled.
“I just know he threw (Wednesday), everything went well (but he) came into today and was pretty sore,” Boone said.
Pitching, pitching, pitching
Entering Thursday, Yankees pitchers had posted a 3.36 ERA, the third-lowest in the majors, trailing Tampa Bay’s 2.74 and Houston’s 3.16.
