New York — The New York Yankees’ playoff chase grew tougher Friday night as Aaron Judge’s long-awaited return to right field turned into a night of mistakes and missed opportunities. In his first defensive start since July 25, the captain looked rusty, and the Yankees fell 7-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.
Blue Jays waste no time testing Judge’s rebuilt arm
Toronto manager John Schneider made his approach clear from the start. He wanted to see how Judge’s arm would hold up.
The chance came in the opening inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Nathan Lukes sent a flare into right field. Judge picked it up cleanly as Daulton Varsho rounded third and sprinted home.
Instead of a strong throw to catcher Ben Rice, Judge lobbed a soft 67.9 mph toss to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. The throw never had a chance to stop Varsho, who scored easily to give Toronto an early lead.
“There was a little bit of unknown with how he was going to respond,” Schneider said. “He’s got a great arm. We wanted to test it.”
Judge and Boone turn defensive when questioned
The decision not to throw home drew immediate attention. When reporters asked manager Aaron Boone about the play, his patience ran thin.
“We’re handling it how we handle it, OK?” Boone snapped.
Aaron Judge also pushed back against doubts about his arm strength.
“I wouldn’t be in the outfield if I wasn’t able to make that throw,” Judge insisted.
He later explained that his first instinct was to catch the ball in the air, then quickly get it to the cutoff man. That decision, however, cost the Yankees a run they could not afford to give away.
Miscommunication adds to defensive woes
The shaky moments did not stop there. In the fifth inning, a popup from Bo Bichette fell untouched between Judge and Chisholm in shallow right. Neither called for the ball, and it dropped in for a hit.
Judge accepted the blame afterward.
“That’s just on me. I’ve got to take control there,” he said.
The miscues underlined the challenge of returning after six weeks on the shelf. Judge had not played the outfield since July 25 against Philadelphia before suffering a flexor strain in his elbow.
Yankees’ careful approach backfires on big stage
The Yankees had taken a cautious route with Judge’s comeback. Boone admitted before the game that there was uncertainty about his captain’s throwing limitations.
“He’s playing. He’s in there. He’s good enough to be in there. And hopefully it will continue to improve,” Boone said.
The plan is not for Judge to play right field every day. Boone made it clear Giancarlo Stanton will remain in the mix defensively as Judge eases back.
“I don’t plan on going every day with him initially,” Boone said. “But hopefully he continues to build up and gets to that point.”
Questions mount about Judge’s arm strength
Judge has repeatedly said he is ready to throw at full strength again.
“Everything is feeling pretty good, so if you can throw, you’ve got to get out there,” Judge said before Friday’s game.
But his actions told another story. The Yankees avoided showing him cutting loose during pre-game drills throughout his rehab. That left uncertainty about how far along he was in regaining full strength.
The situation drew comparisons to 2020, when Austin Slater, then with San Francisco, suffered a similar flexor strain. He spent the rest of that season limited to designated hitter duty.
“Every guy is different,” Slater said. “You don’t know how you’re gonna respond to it.”
Offensive struggles compound Yankees’ problems
Judge’s return to the outfield came with more issues at the plate. Since coming off the injured list on August 5, his OPS has dropped from 1.160 to .888.
The Yankees’ offense looked lifeless against Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman. The right-hander silenced them over eight innings, giving up only four hits and one run.
Giancarlo Stanton supplied that lone run with a solo homer in the second inning, his 19th of the season.
“He pitched really effectively with the lead,” Boone said of Gausman.
Playoff implications grow more serious
The loss pushed the Yankees’ record to 78-63. They are now four games behind Toronto, who improved to 82-59. The Blue Jays also strengthened their hold on the head-to-head tiebreaker with an 8-3 mark against New York this season.
“They’ve certainly had our number to this point,” Boone admitted.
The Yankees still hold a Wild Card position, but their inability to beat division opponents remains a serious concern with only three weeks left in the regular season.
What comes next for Judge and Yankees
Judge says he wants to play the outfield daily down the stretch.
“As much as I can every day,” Judge said. “That’s the plan because it’s the best lineup.”
Still, Friday’s mistakes left questions about whether he can handle the full defensive load. Boone and his staff may face a choice between keeping their best bats in the lineup and protecting the defense.
Judge’s arm has been a signature weapon since his debut in 2017. According to FanGraphs, he ranks third among outfielders in arm runs saved above average during that stretch.
Whether he can return to that level may decide not only his own season but also how far the Yankees can go in October.
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