Aaron Judge Curiously Pulled From Yankees' Loss to Twins

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge appeared just twice at bat during the team's loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, sparking speculation about his absence. The organization supplied no official explanation for his early exit from the game. Judge, who swung and struck out in both plate appearances, was replaced in the sixth inning following a noticeable grimace after a check swing in the earlier innings. His teammate, Heliot Ramos, took over the fielding duties and concluded the contest in right field.

ESPN's YES Network broadcast hinted at a possible injury, with Joe Girardi responding to a question from Michael Kay. When asked if the decision was merely giving Judge a full game of rest, Girardi acknowledged that "there has to be an issue." Aaron Judge had been sidelined for three months due to a fractured right upper rib sustained while making a diving catch against the Houston Astros on April 26.

Following that injury, he was rested on Tuesday, leading to doubts about whether the current decision is related to his recovery.

Before this incident, Aaron Judge had been performing well, batting .243/.363/.515 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs in 65 games. The Yankees aimed to keep him on the roster for the remainder of the regular season, as they trail the Tampa Bay Rays by just 3.5 games in the American League East race. If Aaron Judge's absence is indeed due to a reaggregation of his injury just seven games after his return, it would be a significant setback for the team's hopes of clinching another World Series title.