Aaron Judge Gets MRI For Hip Injury

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge got an MRI on Saturday to determine the cause of lingering hip pain.

Judge apparently injured the hip in a game against the Minnesota Twins, and it’s continued to flare up since.

The pain culminated in the Yankees outfielder being forced to leave Thursday’s game against the Texas Rangers early.

The team continues to downplay concerns, with manager Aaron Boone providing an update to reporters.

It doesn’t seem too serious, but that said, we still don’t have a clear picture of it yet,” Boone explained. “It seems like it could be day to day, but it also could be a short stint. We’ll have to see when Dr. Ahmad weighs in.”

That uncertainty has to be concerning for Judge and the team, given his importance to the Yankees offense.

“He’s arguably the best player in the sport, and it’s no secret what he means to our team,” Boone said. “Hopefully we don’t lose him for too long.”

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 2: Aaron Judge #99 high fives Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees after defeating the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium on April 2, 2023 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)

Judge Injury To Linger?

The concern with an injury like this is that it could potentially linger throughout the season.

Hitters rely on hip rotation to generate power, so even residual pain or discomfort can lead to swing changes and decreased production.

The team and Judge himself don’t seem too concerned, but any time an injury rises to the level of an MRI, it’s not promising.

Judge has historically been relatively healthy, at least compared to another massive player, teammate Giancarlo Stanton.

But at age 31, it’s not hard to see why some teams were questioned the wisdom of a long term deal.

The concerns could be overblown, but if Judge is forced to the IL, it could cost the Yankees significantly. Especially with the suddenly unbeatable Tampa Bay Rays already pulling away in the AL East.