*This content was translated by AI.
Aaron Judge (34, New York Yankees), who served as captain of the U.S. national team and roamed the field during the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March, has once again encountered a major injury setback.
The New York Yankees officially announced on the 19th (Korea time) that Judge has been placed on the 10th-day injured list (IL) due to a strain in his right calf. This comes as another blow shortly after he returned from a Galbi bone fracture on the 8th, marking Judge's third placement on the injured list this season.
Previously, Judge was first placed on the 10th-day IL for a right Galbi bone fracture on June 3 and later moved to the 60th-day IL on July 19. Although he returned on the 8th, he has now been sidelined again. According to John Heyman of the New York Post, Judge may not be able to return until the final game of the regular season, the 162nd game of this year at the earliest.
Judge was substituted during the game against the Minnesota Twins on the 17th after complaining of severe stiffness in the lower part of his right leg. According to ESPN, a U.S. sports specialty outlet, he showed no unusual signs while sprinting to catch a fly ball hit into the outfield just before being replaced, but after the Minnesota game, he admitted, "I felt tension in my legs from the first inning," ultimately acknowledging that he could not endure the pain. It appears that Judge's decision to play through the injury only worsened it.
An injury curse has plagued Judge throughout the season. Although he barely returned to the field on the 9th against the Colorado Rockies, he struggled to regain his form. In seven games since his return, he managed just four hits in 23 at-bats with 13 strikeouts and one extra-base hit, suffering from severe offensive slumps. Judge's performance this season stands at a .241 batting average, 18 home runs, and 41 RBIs in 66 games, far below the expectations for a three-time American League MVP winner.
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Some voices express concern that his participation as captain of the U.S. national team in the WBC in March, which involved high-intensity competition throughout spring training, may have led to reduced durability throughout the regular season.
The Yankees' worries deepen as autumn baseball approaches. Having already secured at least a Wild Card berth, the Yankees trail first-place Tampa Bay Rays by five games in the American League East. They face a three-game road series in Arizona followed immediately by a four-game matchup against Tampa Bay. For the Yankees, who aim for a dramatic division title reversal and a World Series championship, Judge's repeated injury setbacks are a painful blow.
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*This content was translated by AI.
