A toe injury limited New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge to just 106 games last season. And Judge revealed that he expects to still feel the lingering effects of that ailment not only for this season, but for as long as his MLB career lasts. “It’s going to be I think a constant maintenance I […]
A toe injury limited New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge to just 106 games last season.
And Judge revealed that he expects to still feel the lingering effects of that ailment not only for this season, but for as long as his MLB career lasts.
“It’s going to be I think a constant maintenance I think the rest of my career,” Judge told reporters Tuesday, per the Associated Press. “Anything with injuries like that, you just got to stay on top of it so it doesn’t flare up again.”
Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe on June 3 when he crashed into the right-field wall at Dodger Stadium. The injury caused the 2022 American League MVP to miss almost two months and the right-handed slugger wasn’t nearly the same hitter when he returned. Judge batted a mere .235 while still showing his tremendous pop with 18 home runs and 35 RBIs over the final 57 games of the season.
Judge joked that the Yankees, who acquired outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo this offseason, moved him to center field for this season to prevent any further injuries.
But Judge knows he needs to be more aware of his surroundings in the future.
“I think it’s about playing smarter, understanding the field, understanding the dimensions,” Judge said. “In that case, I thought I had one extra step and I didn’t in that situation, so that always goes back on me. I got to be a little smarter there. So, yeah, just like this year, I’ve got play smart. But, no, I don’t think they’ll be any cement bottoms of walls in center field.”
Judge, who finished the 2023 campaign hitting .267 with 37 home runs and 75 RBIs, won’t let the toe be a deterrent from trying to get the Yankees back into the postseason after New York finished 82-80 and in fourth place in the AL East last season.
“A lot of guys were embarrassed,” Judge said. “Kind of a wake-up call, and I think just collectively as a group we all kind of looked at each other and said this can’t happen again.”
