Yankees' Aaron Judge shares alarming injury update

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge raised eyebrows when he confirmed on Tuesday he may need "constant maintenance" for the remainder of his career regarding the torn ligament in his big right toe that he suffered last season. 

"Anything with injuries like that, you’ve just got to stay on top of it so it doesn’t flare up again or something doesn’t happen again," Judge explained while speaking with reporters, as shared by Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "So we’re feeling good right now. We’re out there, we’re moving, we’re grooving. We’re gonna try to keep it that way." 

The 2023 Yankees improved to 35-25 on the same day that Judge crashed through the right-field fence at Dodger Stadium while making a catch he may regret for years to come. New York was 54-48 when Judge returned to the lineup in late July, and the Bronx Bombers ultimately finished with a lackluster 82-80 record and no playoff berth.

Shortly after the Yankees acquired All-Star outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres in December, multiple knowledgeable individuals cautioned the 6-foot-7 Judge about playing center field on a full-time basis. The 2022 American League Most Valuable Player will begin the 2024 season in center, and he was able to joke about the subject with Opening Day still a month away. 

"Well, I keep getting hurt in right field, so that’s why I think they moved me to center field so I don’t get hurt over there," Judge said on Tuesday. "There’s definitely a gear, I think it’s just about playing smarter, understanding the field, understanding the dimensions. In that case (at Dodger Stadium), I thought I had one extra step, and I didn’t in that situation. That always goes back on me. I gotta be a little smarter there. Just like this year, gotta play smart. I don’t think there’ll be any cement bottoms of walls in center field hopefully." 

Interestingly, retired New York Giants running back Tiki Barber dealt with toe injuries during his NFL career and warned throughout last summer that a similar issue could "change Judge’s career forever." If such a change goes from Judge needing "constant maintenance" to the five-time All-Star missing more than the occasional game, the Yankees could once again be out of postseason conversations by the final Sunday of September.