Yankees Make Aaron Judge Announcement Before Rangers Game

The news comes with a host of roster changes ahead of the Yankees' matchup with the Texas Rangers. Right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. finished his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 15-day injured list. The Yankees also called RHP Yerry de los Santos up from the AAA Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New York also designated RHP JT Brubaker for assignment and placed outfielder Austin Slater, who the team only recently acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox, on the 10-day injured list.

New York has sorely missed Judge, who has been the cornerstone of the team's defense since his first full season in 2017. Despite his absence for 10 days due to a right flexor strain in his elbow, Judge leads the MLB in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.449) and slugging percentage (.711). He's also second in the American League for 2025 home runs, with 38, second only to Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.

The Yankees have lost six of their last 10 games, and are on a four game losing streak. Last week, for the first time ever, New York dropped an entire series to the Miami Marlins. Their once-mighty lead of the AL East, which at one point was seven games ahead of any other team, has collapsed, leaving them not only 5.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays, but 2.5 games behind their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, as well.

Relief pitching was one of the Pinstripes' biggest issues prior to the July 31 trade deadline, and one they seemingly have tried to fix with no avail. Despite adding three right-handers (Pittsburgh Pirates' David Bednar, Colorado Rockies Jake Bird and San Francisco Giants' Camilo Doval) at the deadline, the Yankees' bullpen has been having difficulties securing wins, and the absence of team captain and slugger Judge has been no help.

The Yankees hope to reclaim some of their lost lead tonight against the Rangers and climb back up the MLB power rankings.

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