Yankees star Aaron Judge left Tuesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, one inning after he was hit on the left pinkie by a 94.1 mph fastball from Albert Suárez.
NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees star Aaron Judge said X-rays and a CT scan were negative after he was hit on the left hand by a 94.1 mph fastball from Albert Suárez on Tuesday night and forced from New York’s 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
“Feeling better after I got some good news,” Judge said after returning to Yankee Stadium from New York–Presbyterian Hospital. “A big relief. Just being hit there before a couple of years ago and breaking the wrist, you never know what’s going to happen. So finding out that it’s not fractured, not broken, is definitely a sigh of relief.”
Gritting his teeth and flexing the hand, Judge went to first base in the third inning. He was examined by an athletic trainer and remained in the game. He scored on Giancarlo Stanton’s single and then went up the tunnel toward the clubhouse.
Judge played center field in the top of the fourth inning but was lifted for pinch-hitter Trent Grisham in the bottom half.
“Any time you get hit by 94, 95 up and in like that and especially in the hands where there’s so many small bones,” he said, “you just never know what’s going to happen and what it’s going to be.”
Judge said there is swelling but he hoped not to miss any games. He was angered there were several inside pitches to him.
The slugger is hitting .302 and leads the major leagues with 26 homers and 64 RBIs. The 32-year-old is a five-time All-Star and was the 2022 AL MVP after hitting 62 home runs to break the AL record of 61 by Roger Maris set in 1961.
Judge missed 45 games in 2018 with a broken right wrist after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts broke his left hand Sunday when hit by a pitch from Royals pitcher Dan Altavilla and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
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