Yankees cannot afford more struggles without Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge’s absence proved to be the Yankees’ downfall on Sunday night’s rubber game against the Red Sox. Willie Calhoun stood in right field below the Judge’s Chambers when media relations associate Tristan Vitale distributed black robes before the game. While the jurors sitting in the privileged seats on the bench made the most of their night, they missed No. 99, and the Yankees lost 3-2 in 10 innings. Judge’s absence put immense pressure on the pitchers, and no one with a bat could pick up the slack. The absence of the dominant Yankees bullpen left fans wondering if Boone could get enough relief. The Yankees are 8-10 without Judge, and they scored 21 runs in the seven games since Judge’s toe woes began. Boone hopes to get Judge back soon before the regular season ends.
FAQs:
Why was Aaron Judge absent from Sunday night’s game against the Red Sox?
Aaron Judge was absent due to his toe injury.
How did the Yankees perform without Aaron Judge?
The Yankees struggled without Aaron Judge and lost the game 3-2 in 10 innings. They are 8-10 without him and scored only 21 runs in seven games since his injury.
Can the Yankees perform without Aaron Judge’s help?
The Yankees need Aaron Judge’s help to perform well and win games. His absence puts immense pressure on the pitchers and requires others with a bat to pick up the slack.
When will Aaron Judge return to play?
There is no definitive date for Aaron Judge’s return to the game. Yankees manager Aaron Boone hopes he will be back soon before the regular season ends.
Aaron Judge absence puts Yankees at risk of further struggles
On Sunday night’s rubber game against the Red Sox, Willie Calhoun stood in right field just below the Judge’s Chambers. Media relations associate Tristan Vitale handed out black robes shortly before the first pitch to jurors who were sitting in the coveted Judge’s Chambers seats. The Yankees, unfortunately, lost the game 3-2 in 10 innings and were reminded once again of the immense pressure to win without Aaron Judge.
Judge’s absence puts an immeasurable strain on the pitching staff who must hold the fort for as long as possible, waiting for someone to pick up the slack with a bat in hand. Unfortunately, no one stepped up to the plate on Sunday night. Even with the crowd chanting “Volpe, Volpe” for Anthony Volpe and DJ LeMahieu on third with the tying run, Volpe struck out against Chris Martin, and Kiké Hernandez’s RBI single off Ron Marinaccio proved to be the difference.
The Mets’ recent winning streak has many Yankee fans looking forward to Tuesday night’s Subway Series opener at Citi Field. The Yankees cannot afford to make any errors without Judge, but on Sunday night, Gleyber Torres made a costly mistake with a nonchalant backhand stab at a one-hop lob from left fielder Billy McKinney. The error allowed Hernandez to advance to second and eventually score the tying run off Michael King in the eighth inning.
Although the Yankees have a strong bullpen, including Sunday night’s pitchers Scranton-to-Bronx yo-yo Nick Ramirez, King, Clay Holmes, and Marinaccio, it is not enough without Judge’s bat in the game. The team cannot afford even one mistake without him.
The Yankee’s current record without Judge is 8-10, with only 21 runs scored in seven games since his injury. Furthermore, the struggling Anthony Rizzo is mired in a 1-for-30 slump since June 2, making things even more challenging for the team.
Despite a leaping catch at the wall by McKinney and a decent outing from Clarke Schmidt, there was little to comfort Boone on Sunday night. Carlos Rodon plunked Calhoun in the left elbow during live batting practice, but he was impressed with Rodon’s 93-96 mph velocity.
Overall, the Yankees are just another team without Judge. They have the same struggle as the Mets without Pete Alonso. Until Judge’s return, Tuesday night’s Subway Series game will be a trying one for the Yankees.