Yankees Aaron Judge is Out 3-4 Weeks with Knee Injury

New York Yankees number two prospect Aaron Judge was placed on the Triple-A disabled list Saturday and is expected to be out three to four weeks.

Aaron Judge, the International League Player of the Month for June, limped off the field Friday after running out a ground ball during Scranton Wilkes-Barre’s 7-5 victory over the Rochester Red Wings. The team later said the injury actually occurred diving for a ball in right field.

On Saturday it was announced that Judge had suffered a mild PCL sprain and a bone bruise in his left knee. No specific timetable was given for Judge’s return, but the Yankees will certainly be cautious with the 24-year-old outfielder, who is one of the club’s most valuable long-term assets.

All the Yankees would say is that Judge will not participate in baseball activities for “an undetermined amount of time.” Because of the nature of the injury, Judge will likely be out at least several weeks. Bone bruises especially tend to linger and cause pain for an extended period. It is just a waiting game at this point to see when the injuries subside.

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Before Sunday’s game, manager Joe Girardi told reporters that he hears Judge is likely to return in three to four weeks, although he made it clear that was a rough estimate according to Chad Jennings of The Journal News.

The timing of the injury is especially bad because it means that Aaron Judge will not be able to participate in the upcoming Triple-A All Star Game or Home Run Derby Contest. It was going to be a lot of fun to see the mammoth Judge show off his light-tower power on a semi-national stage.

Another disappointing aspect of the knee injury is that it eliminates any chance of the Yankees calling up Judge in the immediate future. It was already a long-shot, despite the fact that he was hitting .261/.357/.469 (139 wRC+) in 370 PA with a league-leading 16 home runs in the first half of the season. Also, the Yankees could even be less willing to deal Carlos Beltran at the deadline without a clear successor.

The good news for Scranton Wilkes-Barre is that the Yankees have no shortage of outfielders vying for playing time in the upper-minors. Cesar Puello, Jake Cave, Ben Gamel, and Tyler Austin are all options for the Railriders in the meantime, as is the rehabbing Mason Williams, who is finally working his way back to full-strength following shoulder surgery.

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This injury is extremely unlikely to have any long-term implications for Aaron Judge’s development, but it is a disappointing development for the Yankees prospect nonetheless. Judge is one of the most exciting players to watch in the minor leagues, and the sooner we get him back on the field, the better.