Yankees: Injury updates for Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton

The Yankees provided crucial injury updates on Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton.

With just 16 games left in the 2020 MLB season, the New York Yankees need all the good news they can get, plus three wishes from a genie in a bottle. We’ll start with any positive developments on the injury front, though. Can’t get greedy.

And the Yankees got mostly that on Friday. Fans have been waiting for ANYTHING of significance regarding Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, and it seems the vague, inconclusive and gloomy updates are in the rearview.

Judge and Stanton, according to manager Aaron Boone, could be back with the team as early as next weekend.

That’s truly joyous, but we’ll believe it when we see it. We’re not being pessimistic, but the uncertainty surrounding Judge and Stanton when it comes to lower-body injuries has been a tornado of all the wrong emotions for fans. When they step in the batter’s box, that’s when our depression will (mostly) dissipate.

But, then again, it does seem very real. Stanton looked good (or, we guess, as good as you can look) during running drills on the field at Yankee Stadium.

And how about Judge doing some of those agility drills! Yeah, baby! Never been more thrilled to see someone running alongside a bunch of cones in our lives! Stay positive, guys. The Yankees need this kind of a lineup boost in the worst way ahead of the postseason.

While that good news should keep you in high spirits for at least two hours, the same cannot be said for the pitching staff. James Paxton, who was expected to return for a few more starts before the playoffs, is still experiencing pain in his forearm and he may not be back at all in 2020.

Boone commented on Paxton’s status as well, but a day earlier it was reported Paxton could potentially return for bullpen duty if the Yanks are playing in October. That’d be … pretty cool? Why not!

Paxton threw on Wednesday, experienced soreness, and has been shut down for a few days as a result. At this point, our guess is as good as the medical staff’s, but relief duty does seem to make the most sense here considering the left-hander won’t have enough time to build himself back up as a starter. There just aren’t enough games left.

We wish nothing but the best for Paxton, who will become a free agent after this season. A nice postseason showing out of the ‘pen could go a long way for the veteran.

In lesser news, Jonathan Loaisiga threw off a mound on Friday and could return Sunday while Gio Urshela is set to be activated off the injured list on Tuesday (for the series against the Blue Jays).

The Yankees got a win over the Orioles in the first game of their Friday doubleheader and the team got (mostly) comforting updates on current injured players. It feels like we’re blessed?

Yankees: Sept. 10, 2001 and the last normal Yanks-Red Sox rainout

For as long as he lives, this author will remember waiting all day to watch the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox on 9/10/2001.