BRONX, NY — It’s no secret that Aaron Judge’s cannon of a right arm has been compromised for nearly two months after suffering a flexor strain in his right elbow in July, which held him out for 10 games.
The Boston Red Sox were ready to expose that, and they did in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
With the Yankees nursing a 1-0 lead with one out in the seventh inning, thanks to the pitching heroics of Max Fried, reliever Luke Weaver walked Cedanne Rafaela before Nick Sogard lined what appeared to be just a single toward the gap in right-center.
Judge got to it slowly, and the speedy Sogard made the turn and dashed for second. The right fielder uncorked a 73.2 mph throw that one-hopped into second base, not nearly quick enough to get Sogard.
“That’s preparation,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of keeping tabs on Judge’s arm. “We talk about their outfielders and what we can do or what we cannot do, and he saw it right away and took advantage of it.”
Both Judge and Yankees manager Aaron Boone were adamant that Sogard did not catch him napping to take the extra base, which heaps further focus on a weakened right arm. The superstar slugger exceeds 90 mph regularly from the outfield when healthy. This looked nothing like that.
“I’m trying to get in there and make a play,” Judge explained. “Definitely don’t want to overthrow. But he’s quick. Got it in there. Just trying to make a play.”
It proved to be a crucial moment in the game. The next batter, pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida, lined a single to score Rafaela and Sogard and put the Red Sox ahead for good in their 3-1 victory to put New York’s backs up against the wall.
There is not much else the Yankees can do right now. Despite slower throws since he returned to outfield duties on Sept. 5 — he served as a DH for nearly a month upon his return from that flexor injury — Boone can’t make a defensive-minded switch.
Giancarlo Stanton, who stepped in admirably during the regular season to take some reps in right field, is managing tennis elbow in both arms, making his dangerous bat, especially in the postseason, a DH-only option. Judge is also the superior fielder, showing just that by making a spinning, leaping grab on a Nathaniel Lowe liner that could have broken the game open in the seventh.
It’s just something they have to live with for as long as this postseason ride lasts.
