Aaron Judge’s toe is not broken, but the Yankees’ world is fractured all the same.
The team’s captain will be shuffled to the 10-day injured list after examinations and a huddle with team doctor Chris Ahmad revealed a right toe contusion and sprain of the ligament.
Judge received a platelet rich plasma shot Tuesday night, during the Yankees’ 3-2 loss to the White Sox in The Bronx, and does not have an immediate timetable for his return.
“We’ll just see where we are in the coming weeks — or days,” manager Aaron Boone said. “The biggest thing is getting the swelling out of there.”
Judge suffered the injury making a remarkable catch at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, banging the toe against the concrete at the base of a right-field fence that he ran through.
He was out of the lineup the next two games with a toe that he hoped was not broken, and the scans were, to some extent, a relief.
“I think it definitely could have been worse,” Boone said of Judge, whom the Yankees already lost once to a hip strain for 10 days in early May. “Feel like he’s going to be all right, just needs some time now. Hopefully it’s on the shorter side of things.”
Aaron Judge is heading to the IL with a toe injury. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POSTIt is impossible to understate Judge’s impact on the club. The Yankees are 30-19 and have scored five runs per game when he has played, and are 6-7, averaging 3.5 runs per game, in contests he has missed.
The Yankees have lost plenty of pieces throughout the first two-plus months of the season, but Judge is literally and figuratively the largest piece. A season after crushing a club-record 62 home runs, Judge has smoked an American League-best 19 homers in 49 games.
“It’s tough to replace a player of his caliber,” starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt said, which is always true but especially true right now.
Tuesday, the Yankees started Jake Bauers in left, Isiah Kiner-Falefa in center and Willie Calhoun in right. Giancarlo Stanton is solely a designated hitter for the time being after only recently being activated from the IL. Harrison Bader is swinging, throwing and running, but the center fielder is slowly building up from a strained right hamstring. Bader does not think he will be ready by Friday, when he first is eligible to be activated.
“From a leadership standpoint, from a playing standpoint,” Josh Donaldson said, “we’re just really going to have to come together as a team and grind out at-bats. Play good defense, pitch, throw the ball well and hopefully keep winning ballgames.”
Aaron Judge hurt himself crashing through the wall to make a catch against the Dodgers last week. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsJudge suffered the injury literally running through a wall, which is an apt metaphor for what he has meant to the Yankees.
Last year, the superstar homered in 8.9 percent of his plate appearances. This season, he has homered in 8.9 percent of his plate appearances. He somehow has been following up an all-time season with the makings of another — but he will not match the 157 games he played in 2022.
“He’s such a presence for us. And obviously, he’s the captain. He’s a great leader,” Schmidt said. “It’s a tough blow, but I think we’ve got to pick each other up.”
In the 18 innings that the Yankees have played Sunday and Tuesday without their MVP, the offense has managed eight hits. Corner outfielders Bauers and Calhoun have shown flashes of potential against opposing righties, but neither has been consistent enough.
Because Judge was not officially placed on the IL, the Yankees did not immediately call up a player in a corresponding transaction.
Aaron Judge makes a catch against the Dodgers. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConTheir move Wednesday will be a curious one. Franchy Cordero would be the most sensible replacement for the outfielder, but the Yankees could summon hot-hitting infielder Oswald Peraza and shuffle Kiner-Falefa and Oswaldo Cabrera to the outfield.
Whoever replaces Judge will be inadequate in comparison. How can the Yankees survive?
“We’ve just got to do it. We were without Judgie for a 10-day stretch earlier,” Boone said. “It’s another opportunity for someone to step up.”







