Aaron Judge starts hitting off a tee and his swing ‘looks great’ in HUGE Yankees boost
The comeback is really over! Aaron Judge starts hitting off a tee and his swing “looks great,” says coach Dillon Lawson — after the Yankees star hinted at returning after the July 11 All Star game
Aaron Judge has given the New York Yankees a huge boost by starting off a tee on his return from a sprained right toe that sidelined him for more than a month.
The Yankees star fell through an outfield fence while playing against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 3 and at times the team seemed seriously concerned about how long he will be out.
The man himself, alongside coach Aaron Boone, has been coy about how badly he is injured, but after a month in the wilderness, a return to the first team finally seems in sight.
Dillon Lawson, the Yankees’ batting coach, certainly spoke as positively of Judge’s condition as anyone on the team in a month on Monday night.
Aaron Judge has started hitting a tee as he ramps up his bid to return for the Yankees
Judge watches Monday during his team’s game at Yankee Stadium vs. Baltimore Orioles
“His swing looks great,” said Lawson, according to the New York Post. “It looks like he’s not missing anything.
He can turn on his back [right] foot and it doesn’t seem like it bothers him at all.
“It’s definitely a positive sign. His swing looked exactly like every time he swung last year and earlier this year.
“I know there’s progress to be made, but this part of the progression looks as good as we could ever hope for.”
Judge has had a number of injuries this season, but has still hit 19 home runs—seven more than Gleyber Torres’ second-highest, at 12.
Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million deal earlier this year to stay with the Yankees after hitting an American League-record 63 home runs last season.
Appearing on Monday’s TODAY show, the 30-year-old seemed a little more optimistic about his injury, without giving any information that was too harsh.
“We have the All-Star Game here (July 11), so hopefully that will buy me a few days and we’ll be back soon,” said Judge.
The Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.