“So Aaron Judge lied?” - Brian Cashman’s shocking reveal on captain’s rehab timeline sparks fan uproar

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge returned to right field last Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays after being out of defensive action for six weeks due to a right flexor strain. Since then, he has alternated as the right fielder and the designated hitter, signalling that the team is cautious about managing his workload.

Since his return, there have been questions about Judge's arm strength and velocity. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman on Friday stated that the rehabilitation process is underway, but is taking longer than expected.

“We gave him the time to heal, and then now, obviously, you’re doing the rehab progressions essentially live in games during a pennant race,” Cashman said.

“So you’re seeing the effects of that. You’re seeing a guy that’s slowly building his arm strength back and learning to trust it and then walking that tightrope of when to throw the thunderbolt and when to play it safe.

Cashman's comments suggested that Judge might be at risk of a major surgery in his throwing elbow. Earlier, the slugger himself had publicly stated that he expected to regain 100 percent fitness and had been requesting the team to send him back into the outfield.

Fans seemed to be confused by Cashman's comments and voiced their reactions. There was also a scare regarding a potential major injury to their star player.

"So Judge lied when he said he wouldn't play the field unless he was 100%?????" a fan questioned.

Ben

@NYY1996BR

@BryanHoch So Judge lied when he said he wouldn't play the field unless he was 100%?????

"No tightropes. Just DH him and mix Stanton and Jasson in the OF," a fan stated.

Yankees Rock

@BeerBellyMark

@BryanHoch No tightropes. Just DH him and mix Stanton and Jasson in the OF.

"I love how Cashman doesn’t realize this isn’t the flex he thinks it is," a fan commented.

Andrew

@AcunaAndrew

I love how Cashman doesn’t realize this isn’t the flex he thinks it is

"Ok so Judge might need TJ if one throw goes bad. God help us," another fan said.

Gettin Schlitty With It

@DanRantz99

Ok so Judge might need TJ if one throw goes bad. God help us

""Walking a tightrope" sounds real good when you're talking about your future Hall of Fame outfielder," a fan wrote about the injury.

Jeremy

@ProGenitor09

"Walking a tightrope" sounds real good when you're talking about your future Hall of Fame outfielder

"God I hate this clown," another fan said about Cashman.

FIRE BOONE!

@NYYankee11

@BryanHoch God I hate this clown

Yankees manager Aaron Boone had initially stated that he wasn't sure how well Judge could progress in his rehab, which had prompted the outfielder to make statements about his injury.

Boone then reversed those statements, and the Yankees ended up playing Aaron Judge as Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield could be a liability in the long term. Cashman's comments seemed to be more aligned with Boone in this matter.

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Brian Cashman states Aaron Judge might avoid surgery

Brian Cashman also reassured that Aaron Judge doesn't need surgery at the end of the season. He is expected to get healthier as the postseason approaches. As the Yankees are on the road to Boston, Judge will be given a tryout at left field because of Fenway Park's shorter distance on that side due to 'The Green Monster'.

Judge has been in hot form in the batter's box lately with 4 homers in his last 4 games. His latest dinger against the Red Sox in Friday's 4-1 win took him to the fourth spot on the Yankees' most home runs list.

Losing Aaron Judge at any point in the next month and a half could be detrimental to their World Series chances.