New York Yankees fans can breathe out a sigh of relief.
Opening Day is right around the corner but the Yankees already are beat up and dealing with a plethora of injuries. New York will be without the services of 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole for at least one or two months.
Cole isn't the only important Yankees player who has been dealing with an injury. There was a scare that 2022 American League Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge could miss some time, but he is scheduled to return to the Yankees' lineup Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
Judge has been dealing with an abdominal injury and didn't return to the field as early as some speculated that he would. There even was some speculation that Opening Day could be in doubt, but it doesn't seem like that will be the case.
New York dealt with a wide range of injuries last season and that was one of the biggest reasons why the club underperformed. The Yankees are considered to be one of the top teams in the American League but losing Cole certainly could hurt.
If the Yankees were to miss Judge for any time, it could be a disaster for New York. Super utility man DJ LeMahieu currently also is dealing with an injury of his own.
Judge returning to the lineup Tuesday certainly is a great sign for New York. Hopefully, he's able to stay healthy and be completely ready for Opening Day.
More must-reads: