Yankees' Aaron Boone shares hopeful Aaron Judge injury update

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone wasn't making any promises during Tuesday's edition of the "Talkin' Yanks" podcast, but it sounds like he expects All-Star slugger Aaron Judge will make his anticipated return to the lineup for Wednesday's spring training game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I do feel like he is playing tomorrow," Boone said about Judge, as shared by Alex Smith of SNY. "That’s my plan. I’ve sent out the lineup with him in it. So if it adjusts it will just be 'Well, I botched it again.' It’s not something I’m overly concerned with. I think it’s as simple as us being really cautious with the big guy and making sure this doesn’t turn into something."

As noted by Jorge Castillo of ESPN, Judge went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts during a game held on Sunday, March 10, and the 2022 American League Most Valuable Player later underwent an MRI on his abdominal area related to some kind of core injury. While Judge hasn't played since and didn't take batting practice on Monday as previously hoped, Boone insisted on Tuesday that the 31-year-old has no abdominal tear.

"He really just experienced some soreness in that core area, but that’s why I think they were super cautious with going and making sure they got some images of it," Boone said about Judge's latest setback. "It didn’t show anything, so we’ve just been treating it and making sure he’s ramped up and good to go. … We plan on hopefully having him in there tomorrow for a couple [at-bats]."

The Yankees already know reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole will miss roughly one to two months of action as he recovers from an issue with his throwing elbow. New York failed to sign ace Blake Snell before he reportedly agreed to a two-year, $62M deal with the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

As for Judge, he missed nearly two months last season due to a torn ligament in his big right toe he suffered on June 3. The Yankees ultimately failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished with a record of 82-80. 

"I think understandably so and rightfully so, we’ve just been extremely cautious with this and don’t want it to turn into something," Boone added about Judge's core on Tuesday. 

The Yankees open the regular season at the Houston Astros on March 28.