Aaron Judge Criticizes Teammates for Lack of Focus Following Yankees’ Skid

Aaron Judge is currently sidelined with a rib fracture and has not provided any potential timeline of his return.

Aaron Judge Criticizes Teammates for Lack of Focus Following Yankees’ Skid

Aaron Judge (Image via X/@FiresideYankees)

The New York Yankees’ train has gone off the tracks in recent games. After their 6th successive loss on Tuesday, Aaron Judge dropped a rare criticism of his teammates and called out their lack of focus before the game on Wednesday.

The Yankees captain is currently sidelined with a rib fracture. After suffering a blow in the outfield while attempting a catch in late April, he injured himself. Despite that, he kept on playing.

In the end, this proved costly. The effects of this blow were clearly seen as he went on an 11-game home run drought. Earlier in June, he was diagnosed with a fracture in his right rib, forcing him to the injured list.

When Judge got injured, there was a huge concern about how the team would cope without their leader. At first, things were looking good for them as contributions from Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. kept them on track.

However, since last week, the team has stumbled. After winning the series against the Tigers, the team got swept in a 4-game showdown against the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees got outscored 9-21 in the series against their arch-rivals at Fenway Park. On Monday, the Tigers pounced on Cam Schlittler early on and went on to win 7-3.

Tuesday saw the Bronx Bombers suffer their 6th successive loss. The hosts lost 9-3 while having just 4 hits in the entire game. Following that loss, the Yankees became the first team since 1898 to have a 5-game span with 0 wins, 45-plus strikeouts and 16 or fewer hits.

Aaron Judge was with the team on Wednesday before the game. When asked by the reporters what he thought about this skid, the 3-time American League MVP openly expressed his displeasure and lamented the poor performance of the team.

Well, it’s not great. Just a little lack of focus. We just gotta dial it in. Our ultimate goal is to win a World Series. I think guys have to remember that every single day they show up here. We’re here to win a World Series.

Aaron Judge told the reporters in New York

Judge later added that he has spoken with a few players regarding the situation. The club is expected to speak with a bigger group later.

There was not much improvement on Wednesday. They were 2-0 down entering the bottom of the 9th inning. A solo home run from Amed Rosario and a wild pitch from Drew Anderson saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. score to tie the game at 2-2.

In the 11th inning, a bases-loaded walk by Camilo Doval saw the Tigers retake the lead. Zach McKinstry hit a single to right fielder Jose Caballero, which saw Riley Greene and Hao-Yu Lee score and give the team a 5-2 lead.

Catcher Ali Sanchez then made a fielding error. While trying to catch McKinstry at second base, he threw the ball wide of the target, leading to Spencer Torkelson coming home from third base and making it a 6-2 game.

The Yankees were unable to answer back. They thus suffered a 7th successive defeat and got swept in back-to-back series.

To make matters worse, the Tampa Bay Rays picked up their 7th straight win. As a result of this, they opened up a 3.5-game lead over the Yankees for first place in the AL East standings.

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Aaron Judge does not provide a timeline regarding his injury

The New York Yankees have started to feel the absence of Aaron Judge in the lineup. During this skid, the team has struggled heavily with offense. As fans wait for his return, the 34-year-old once again did not provide a timeline regarding his injury.

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

Judge was initially ruled out for 4-6 weeks. Reports claimed that after this spell, he will be re-examined, and then the team will decide what the next steps will be.

While he refused to give a timeline on his return earlier, the Yankees do expect him to return later this year. The team has so far not cleared him for re-imaging on his ribs. Until that happens, the team will not know what a potential timeline regarding his return would be.

It’s the worst. That’s one thing that always kills me throughout the year. I hate missing games, but I hate missing them in times where things aren’t going your way. That’s when I want to be out there.

Aaron Judge told the reporters

The current 7-game losing skid of the Yankees is their longest since 2023. In August that year, the team lost 9 games in a row before a 3-home run performance from Judge sealed a 9-1 win over the Washington Nationals.

At the moment, all he can do is watch from the sidelines. The Yankees will face the Minnesota Twins over the weekend before playing against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-game series at Tropicana Field in Tampa.

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