Aaron Judge flags Yankees' 'lack of focus' ahead of seventh straight loss, still waiting for updated scans on injured rib
The New York Yankees have been sorely missing their captain of late. They’re toiling through their longest losing streak of the season, a skid that reached seven games on Wednesday after the Detroit Tigers handed the Yankees a 6-2 defeat in 11 innings and brought out the brooms in the Bronx. New York (48-38) has now been swept two series in a row and is staring up at the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings.
Aaron Judge hasn’t played since May 31. He’s been on the injured list for nearly four weeks with a stress fracture of his right rib, an injury he believes sprouted while he dove for a ball in shallow right field on his 34th birthday amid a 7-4 loss to the Houston Astros.
Normally, the seven-time All-Star can effect change with his play. He’s a three-time AL MVP, after all, and the owner of the title for two seasons running. For now, though, he’s sidelined. He told reporters Wednesday prior to the Yankees’ series finale versus the Tigers that he had no injury update for them and wouldn’t until he received new scans.
“You know how it goes around here — guys can feel good, feel bad, but you’ve got to wait on images,” he said, per The Associated Press.
When Judge was diagnosed with his injury, the Yankees said he’d have additional imaging in approximately four to six weeks.
“There’s no need to talk about this now,” Judge said, per the AP. “I know it’s an important topic and a big issue, but I want to give you guys the full story.”
What Judge was willing to talk about, however, was his team’s early summer malaise. When he spoke to media in front of his locker on Wednesday, the Yankees had committed a combined eight errors in their past six games, all losses. Altogether those gaffes cost them 15 unearned runs in that span, as reported by The Athletic. They had two more defensive mishaps on Wednesday versus the Tigers.
“Well, it’s not great,” Judge said pregame of the Yankees’ dip in success, according to The Athletic. “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.
“That should motivate you every single day you step on that field, no matter what happens, no matter what happens the day before. ‘I got a job to do.’ We’ve got an important sign when you walk out on the field. It’s the last sign you see before you’re out there; it says do your job. Guys are here to do their job.”
Judge noted that he’s talked to unidentified players during this rough patch. He declined to go into specifics about how the “lack of focus” he spoke of is manifesting, although he did say, “I think you guys see it,” per MLB.com.
It hasn’t helped that New York’s been hampered by other injuries and, suddenly, food poisoning as well. Manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder Spencer Jones was among the group affected, hence why he wasn’t in the lineup against the Tigers on Wednesday.
That said, New York saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. return to the fold, setting up shop at second base just two days after his scary collision with outfielder Jasson Domínguez. Chisholm cleared concussion protocol and scored the game-tying run a wild pitch in the ninth inning, forcing extra innings.
But in the 11th, Camilo Doval walked in Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson on a 3-2 pitch, gifting Detroit the lead, which the Tigers quickly built on with a bases-loaded single from Zach McKinstry that scored three runs, one unearned after catcher Ali Sánchez’s throwing error. That time, the Tigers didn’t relinquish their advantage, and the Yankees’ losing streak extended with a much-needed off day approaching.
Perhaps Judge’s words will percolate during that respite.
