New York — Aaron Judge‘s elbow flexor strain proved to be the best-case scenario for a Yankees star whose injury initially sparked fears of season-ending surgery. But the timing couldn’t have been worse for prospect Spencer Jones, whose back spasms prevented what seemed destined to be his long-awaited major league debut.
The Yankees officially placed their MVP candidate on the 10-day injured list Saturday, while Jones—who leads all of Minor League Baseball with 29 home runs—remained sidelined at Triple-A Scranton with the back injury that derailed his call-up opportunity.
Judge’s MRI results delivered what manager Aaron Boone called “good news” after the team feared the worst when their superstar couldn’t throw from the outfield Friday night against Philadelphia. “No acute injury to the UCL. Overall, that’s good news,” Boone said, referring to the ulnar collateral ligament that, if damaged, typically requires Tommy John surgery and a 12-18 month recovery period.
The flexor strain diagnosis means Judge avoided the nightmare scenario that has befallen other Yankees position players like Aaron Hicks and Didi Gregorius, both of whom required Tommy John surgery in recent years. Instead, Judge is expected to return in 10 days to two weeks, initially as a designated hitter before gradually working back to right field duties.
Judge resists injury list move
Aaron Judge explained that batting doesn’t cause him discomfort, with pain only occurring during throwing motions, though he couldn’t escape being placed on the injured list.
“I just felt a little something trying to throw out a runner at the plate in Toronto, but you feel stuff throughout your whole body throughout a whole season and don’t really think much of it,” said Judge, who was examined by team physician Christopher Ahmad prior to Saturday’s contest. “It was just not being able to throw the past couple of days.”
The slugger revealed he strongly advocated to play Friday’s game, but his elbow condition worsened, limiting his throwing range to just 60 feet. Manager Boone allowed Judge to remain in the lineup because he believed Judge wouldn’t risk further injury.
Judge expressed his reluctance about joining the injured list and lobbied to serve as the designated hitter instead, though the organization insisted he take time off for proper healing.
“Throwing is the main concern,” said Judge, who was absent from Saturday’s starting nine for only the second occasion this season. “Hitting happens too quick, and it’s not really the motion that I felt anything. I think the muscle that hurts is the muscle used to grip, so there might be some issues with that. But I’ve been hitting the past couple of days, so if I can hit, get me out there.”
The 33-year-old veteran has endured multiple injury-related absences across his decade-long tenure in pinstripes, including extended periods sidelined by wrist and shoulder problems.
New York secured Judge with a franchise-record nine-year, $360 million deal following his historic 2022 season when he surpassed Roger Maris’ American League mark with 62 home runs. The seven-time All-Star came close to repeating that feat last year with 58 homers during his second MVP-winning campaign.
Judge, who has no prior history of elbow complications, is currently taking medication to alleviate the discomfort.
Despite Judge’s preference to avoid the IL and serve as designated hitter while maintaining his ability to swing without issues, the Yankees declined his proposal.
“Throwing is the main concern. … I’ve been hitting with it during the last couple of days. If I could hit, get me out there,” Judge said.
Judge’s injury timeline reveals team caution
The injury saga began Tuesday during the Yankees’ series in Toronto, when Judge winced after making a throw from right field in the seventh inning, attempting to nail Davis Schneider at home plate. Despite obvious discomfort, Judge stayed in the game and even homered Wednesday as the designated hitter—a role that had been pre-planned regardless of the injury.
After Thursday’s off day, the elbow flared up again Friday against the Phillies. “He couldn’t throw. That kind of sums it up,” Judge explained, describing how he couldn’t make throws beyond 60 feet from the outfield.
The Yankees’ decision to place Judge on the IL came despite his preference to continue as a DH. “I never had any really elbow issues or anything like that,” Judge said. “If I can hit, get me out there.” But team officials prioritized long-term health over short-term availability, particularly with Judge receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection to stimulate healing.
Spencer Jones’s cruel timing ruins MLB debut dreams
While Judge’s diagnosis brought relief, the timing created a heartbreaking scenario for Spencer Jones, whose historic power surge at Triple-A had positioned him as the obvious replacement. Jones suffered back spasms in late July, missing Friday’s Triple-A game precisely when the Yankees needed a healthy player to fill Judge’s roster spot.
“With the Yankees needing a player to take Judge’s roster spot for Sunday, it has to be a player who is healthy and ready to play,” reported YES Network’s Jack Curry. “With Jones fighting back spasms and not playing at AAA on Friday, no team is going to promote a player with iffy availability to replace an injured star.”
The missed opportunity stings particularly because Jones has been demolishing Triple-A pitching since his June 27 promotion, posting a ridiculous .400/.457/.950 slash line with 13 home runs in just 19 games. His recent tear includes three homers in a single game, July 24—all with two strikes—and 19 home runs in his past 32 games overall.
“I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’ve never seen a player this talented before in my life,” said Triple-A manager Shelley Duncan about Jones’s performance.
Yankees pivot to established alternatives
Instead of Jones, the Yankees are expected to recall either Everson Pereira or Bryan De La Cruz, both on the 40-man roster and immediately available. Pereira, a 24-year-old Venezuelan outfielder recovering from his own UCL surgery last year, has posted a .256/.353/.516 line in 300 Triple-A plate appearances this season.
De La Cruz, claimed off waivers from Atlanta in May, brings major league experience with 49 career home runs, though he struggled with a .191 average in limited action with the Braves this season.
MVP candidacy remains intact despite setback
Judge’s injury comes at a devastating time for both player and team. The 32-year-old superstar leads MLB in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.449), slugging percentage (.711), and OPS (1.160) while ranking second in home runs (37) and RBIs (85) through 103 games.
His 7.2 fWAR leads all of baseball, making him the heavy favorite for his third AL MVP award despite the injury. Main competition comes from Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, who leads MLB with 39 home runs but trails Judge significantly in most other offensive categories.
Testing time in Bronx
The injury adds urgency to general manager Brian Cashman’s trade deadline plans, with the July 31 deadline looming and the Yankees sitting 6 games behind Toronto in the AL East. Despite holding the top AL Wild Card spot, the team has struggled recently, going 14-23 since June 13.
“We’re going to go to town,” Cashman said about his deadline approach, targeting starting pitching and bullpen help while already acquiring infielder Ryan McMahon from Colorado and utility man Amed Rosario from Washington.
Judge’s absence could last through the crucial deadline period. “They’re going to be just fine. Guys are going to step up,” Judge said confidently about his teammates.
For Jones, the back spasms represent a cruel twist of fate that may have cost him his first taste of the majors. For Judge and the Yankees, the “good news” diagnosis preserves their championship hopes while dodging a much darker scenario that could have ended their season before August arrived.
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