The Yankees still don’t have a timeline for Aaron Judge’s return from his sprained right toe, but manager Aaron Boone said the right fielder may have had a “breakthrough” after he received a second platelet-rich plasma shot in the area last week.
“I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing and conversations with him,’’ Boone said before the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Mariners on Tuesday night in The Bronx. “I feel like he feels there was a little bit of a breakthrough with that.”
Boone added Judge is “slowly doing better and able to do more things. Hope it’s the start of him starting to make real progress.”
Most of the swelling, which has sidelined Judge since he banged into the outfield fence making a catch in Los Angeles on June 3, has gone away, Boone said.
Still, general manager Brian Cashman made it clear it was too soon to put a timeline for a potential return.
Asked if the Yankees would be able to withstand being without Judge through the All-Star break, which begins on July 10, Cashman said, “Yes … we have a lot of professional hitters and good quality hitters.”
Cashman added the Yankees are intent on not letting Judge return before he’s ready, which could risk aggravating the injury.
“It’s a unique injury,’’ Cashman said. “We don’t want this thing coming back on us. We need to be really careful. He’s a real devoted athlete and wants to be out there fighting for his team. … We have to protect the player from himself.”
DJ LeMahieu was held out of the lineup for a second straight game and Boone said the slumping infielder likely wouldn’t start on Wednesday as he tries to address some mechanical issues that may have contributed to his brutal slump.
“We just want him to continue to work on some things to try to get him going and get him unlocked,” Boone said.
The Mariners started right-hander George Kirby on Tuesday, with ace Luis Castillo scheduled to start Wednesday. LeMahieu hasn’t played since the first game of the doubleheader in Boston on Sunday (the Yankees were off Monday).
LeMahieu’s struggles go back to May 11. Since then, he’s 19-for-105, with six extra-base hits, six walks, 30 strikeouts and an OPS of .511 OPS in 28 games.
“There’s very few times where he’s gone through a stretch, when he’s healthy, where he’s struggled like this,’’ Boone said.
LeMahieu played with a fractured foot for much of last season and Cashman said he has told the team he feels good.
Cashman speculated the poor performance might be a result of “some compensation because of the prior injury. That’s what we’re trying to unpack right now, to see if it changes how he loads [his swing].”
Josh Donaldson was booed after a pair of at-bats Tuesday, as his struggles continued. Cashman said he believes Donaldson just needs more playing time to shake out of his doldrums after the third baseman was sidelined for nearly two months after suffering a strained hamstring.
“I’d like [him] to get some really consistent at-bats before we try to assess what’s going on,’’ Cashman said. “He had a subpar offensive season, but prior to that, he’s always been an above-average player.”
Harrison Bader returned from a right hamstring strain, which had resulted in his third stint on the injured list in the last year and went 1-for-3 with a run.
Harrison Bader returned Tuesday from a right hamstring strain, which had resulted in his third stint on the injured list in the last year.
Bader, who went 1-for-3 with a run in the win, said before the game he won’t change his aggressive style of playing, but will try to avoid going too far.
“A lot of it comes from how hard I play the game and that’s never gonna change,” Bader said. “But maybe pick [my] spots and keep it in the back of my head and play smart.”
Jhony Brito has gotten the nod over Randy Vasquez for the start Wednesday. Boone said Brito was the choice because the right-hander has “made some good adjustments the last 5-7 days,” and the Yankees like the matchup against Seattle.
Matt Krook was optioned following the game to make room for Brito.
Victor Wembanyama, the expected No. 1-overall pick in the NBA draft this Thursday, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and tossed wildly toward home plate.
