Yankees Aaron Judge lands on injured list, but don’t panic

Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge exited Saturday’s game with a significant strain to his left oblique — soon becoming the 13th player to be placed on the injured list this season. However, it’s too early to hit the panic button.

This is not the way you want to start the new season. After 12 players became injured, the Yankees just lost their biggest star on Saturday, right fielder Aaron Judge, to a significant strain of his left oblique. The organization announced they placed him on the 10-day injured list.

The injury occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Royals. Judge hit a single to the right field, and he immediately showed discomfort as he ran towards first base. Manager Aaron Boone put in Tyler Wade to pinch-run for Judge.

Judge’s injury brings the injured list to 13 players now. I’ve never before seen the Yankees have this many injured players at one time.

Miguel Andujar (currently making progress), Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Jacoby Ellsbury, Didi Gregorius, Ben Heller, Aaron Hicks, Jordan Montgomery, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, Giancarlo Stanton, Troy Tulowitzki and now Judge are all hurt.

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The Bombers need to do something with the strength and conditioning coaches as something has clearly gone awry when this amount of players become injured in such a short period. Perhaps there needs to be less focus on lifting weights, and more focus on stretching — assuming that is the case.

In the last 20 games (73 at-bats), Judge was hitting .288 with five HRs and 11 RBIs, slashing .404/.521/.925 and a 25:14 K:BB ratio.

There is good news, though. David Lennon of Newsday reports that the Bombers are planning to activate catcher Gary Sanchez on Wednesday when the Yanks take on the Angels in Anaheim.

The Kraken was hitting .268 with six HRs and 11 RBIs, slashing .333/.732/1.065 before being shelved on the 10-day I.L. with a left calf strain.

Three-time Gold Glove second baseman DJ LeMahieu has done a fantastic job with the bat, picking up the slack from a player like Giancarlo Stanton while he recovers from a Grade 1 left biceps strain. In his last 19 games, LeMahieu has 10 RBIs and is slashing .309/.364/.426.

Is there a silver lining? Maybe it’s that the injuries are happening now instead of closer to the midway point of the season.

While that may sound like a bizarre answer, that’s all I can wrap my head around. It is nerve-wracking to see the Yankees depth being tested so early, but it’s still too soon to hit the panic button.