Michael Kay Urges Yankees to Make Aaron Judge a Full-Time DH Following Rib Fracture

Aaron Judge fractured his right rib while attempting to make a diving catch against the Houston Astros in late April.

Michael Kay Urges Yankees to Make Aaron Judge a Full-Time DH Following Rib Fracture

Aaron Judge and Michael Kay (Image via MLB/Bleacher Report)

New York Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge suffered a rib fracture and has been placed on the injured list. Amidst this, ESPN radio host and play-by-play commentator, Michael Kay, urged the team to make Judge a full-time designated hitter (DH).

The 34-year-old has spent most of his time in the outfield. Last year, he played as the DH of the time after returning from an injury.

On Thursday, MRI reports revealed that Judge had a stressed rib fracture on the right. As a result of this, he will be out for 4-6 weeks.

Judge is said to have injured himself while diving for a catch against the Houston Astros. This marks the second time in his career that he has fractured his rib while attempting to make a play in the outfield.

While the Yankees expect him to return later this year, the player has not set any timeline for his return. This has left several fans concerned regarding their future.

Next season, he will enter the 5th year of his 9-year, $360 million deal with the Yankees. He will also turn 35 next April. While speaking regarding Judge on ESPN New York, Michael Kay expressed that there are chances that Judge will get hurt once again.

As Aaron Judge ages, he’s got to become a full-time DH because the injuries to the body are happening mostly because of his defensive actions in right field. He’s a big man, 6′7”, 282 (pounds), and when he dives for a ball, he’s going to put a lot of stress on every single one of his body parts. … They cannot afford to lose his bat.

Michael Kay said regarding Aaron Judge

Usually, Giancarlo Stanton plays as the DH for the Yankees. However, he is also on the injured list following an issue in his right calf. At the moment, there is one more year remaining on his deal.

On Friday, the Yankees had Ben Rice as the DH. He went 2-for-3 against the Boston Red Sox and hit 1 home run. Despite this, the Bronx Bombers ended up losing 5-3. This marked a 3rd loss in 4 games for the team without their captain.

Judge is reported to have been in discomfort since late April. The effects of this were clearly seen as his offense went down. In May, he managed just 1 home run and had 8 RBIs and 19 strikeouts. Overall, he has 17 home runs and 38 RBIs while hitting .248 for the season.

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman claims team is still good without Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees suffered a major blow this week in the form of Aaron Judge’s injury. With him out for a while, many have turned their attention to how the team will perform. Team General Manager Brian Cashman claims they are still good enough without the 3-time American League MVP.

Brian Cashman and Aaron Judge
Brian Cashman and Aaron Judge (Image via Bleacher Report/MLB)

In the past few years, Judge has carried the team’s offense and leads almost every category. Without him, the team has struggled to make a huge impact.

While speaking with the reporters, Cashman expressed that the team has players who can step up and fill the void created by Judge’s injury.

Injuries are a part of the game. … We have a good club regardless, but obviously not as good without Aaron Judge. We’re still good enough but we will have to weather the storm.

Brian Cashman said regarding Aaron Judge

In June 2023, Judge suffered a toe injury while running across a wall and making a catch at Dodger Stadium. The team was 35-25 at that point.

In his absence, they went 19-23 and finished the season with an 82-80 record and missed the postseason. His injury proved to be a major blow for them.

Right now, the team is 36-27. Following this weekend series against the Red Sox, the team will travel to Cleveland to take on the Cleveland Guardians in a 3-game set. Without Judge, the Yankees lost the 3-game series against the Guardians this week.

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Aaron Judge gave a selfless reason for why he played through the pain in May

Aaron Judge came to know that something was not right with his body following a catch attempt against the Houston Astros. Despite not being a 100 percent fit, the slugger kept on playing for the team. While speaking to the reporters on Friday, he gave a selfless reason for this.

Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge (Image via X/@snyyankees)

Before his injury, the AL East side had lost Giancarlo Stanton. In May, they suffered another loss as starting pitcher Max Fried got injured. He was placed on the injured list following a bone bruise in his left elbow.

With 2 of the top names out, Judge decided to carry on and play through the pain barrier. During the series against the Athletics in Sacramento last week, things got worse for him.

Big G’s (Giancarlo Stanton) hurt, Max Fried’s hurt. We had a lot of guys banged up. You’ve got to be out there. That’s what they’re paying me to do, to go out there and play.

Aaron Judge told the reporters from the Yankees clubhouse

Only time will tell when Judge will return to action. The Yankees, meanwhile, would be hoping to avoid a slump like last season in June and get some positive results without their star slugger.

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