New York Yankees' Judge Injury Worse Than Initially Thought

As it turns out, Aaron Judge's toe injury is worse than initially thought.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Not the news the New York Yankees wanted.

On Saturday, superstar outfielder Aaron Judge told reporters that he has a torn ligament in his right big toe and he is still experiencing pain when he walks.

For the first time, Aaron Judge told reporters he tore a ligament in his toe. Previously, the team just said it was a sprain. Judge also said he still has pain while he walks.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) June 24, 2023

It was initially reported that Judge had a contusion and sprained toe. But as it turns out, his injury is much more serious than first revealed. There is still no timetable for his return, which is concerning given how the Yankees' lineup has struggled without him.

“I’ve got to knock out the rehab stuff," Judge said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "I’ve had different injuries over the years where it’s going to take a while. It’s not going to be perfect here in a couple of weeks. Once we can manage the pain, we’re going to be in a good spot."

Judge was recently cleared to do balancing and strength work in the pool. Manager Aaron Boone also said that he could potentially begin doing some light hitting and throwing by the end of this weekend. It's unknown if this is still going to happen. The 31-year-old also had a "breakthrough" after receiving a second PRP injection in his toe earlier in the week.

When asked if August was a realistic time frame for his return, Judge refused to put a timeline on his recovery. 

“I’m not giving you any timeline," Judge said, via MLB.com. "There’s no need. I’ve just got to get better and then I’ll be out there.”

"I don’t think too many people in here have torn a ligament in their toe," Judge added. "If it was a quad, we’d have a better answer. If it’s an oblique or hamstring, we have answers and a timeline for that. With how unique this injury is, and it being my back foot, which I push…

Judge hurt his toe on June 3 when he crashed through the wall to make a spectacular catch at Dodger Stadium. Unfortunately, this great play has come with consequences, as he is now out indefinitely.