The New York Yankees finally got the news they had been waiting for Tuesday night.
Aaron Judge returned to the lineup for the first time since May 31, making his long-awaited comeback from a fractured right rib. The Yankees celebrated the return with a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium.
Judge Goes Hitless in Return
While Judge did not immediately put up the monster offensive numbers Yankees fans have become accustomed to, simply seeing him back on the field was a major victory for New York.
Judge went 0-for-3 at the plate and played six innings in right field before being removed as the Yankees carefully manage his workload. He received a huge ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd of 46,211 when he returned to the lineup.
Judge had been sidelined for nearly 100 days, making his return one of the biggest moments of the Yankees’ season.
Yankees Win Despite Quiet Night From Judge
New York did not need Judge to have a huge night offensively.
Cam Schlittler delivered another impressive performance, throwing seven innings while allowing just one run and striking out 10. Ryan McMahon broke a tie with a fifth-inning double, while Heliot Ramos provided the biggest offensive blow with a three-run homer in the eighth.
The victory moved the Yankees to 20 games over .500 and gave them their 14th win in their last 21 games.
Judge’s return also comes at a critical time. New York is chasing Tampa Bay in the AL East while trying to position itself for the postseason.
The Yankees Need Judge Healthy
The Yankees aren’t expecting Judge to instantly return to his MVP-caliber form.
After missing such a significant amount of time, the organization is taking a cautious approach. Judge reportedly wasn’t thrilled about leaving the game after six innings, but the Yankees clearly have the bigger picture in mind.
New York needs Judge healthy for October more than it needs him to play every inning in September.
The first game back may have ended without a hit, but for the Yankees, the most important part was seeing their superstar back on the field.
Aaron Judge is back and the Yankees’ postseason hopes just got a massive boost.
