Aaron Judge shares real extent of his toe injury

Aug 23, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs to first base after hitting a single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Judge has missed three weeks with a toe injury that he suffered against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the New York Yankees slugger revealed the real extent of his injury on Saturday.

Judge admitted he is dealing with a torn ligament in his toe and remains unable to walk without pain. The Yankees had previously said that Judge’s injury was a toe sprain.

For the first time, Aaron Judge told reporters he tore a ligament in his toe. Previously, the team just said it was a sprain. Judge also said he still has pain while he walks.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) June 24, 2023

This certainly changes the equation. A torn ligament is a serious injury wherever it is, and it explains why Judge’s recovery has been so slow. It also suggests that Judge might not be back anytime soon, particularly if he is still experiencing pain three weeks after suffering the injury.

Judge suffered the injury when he banged his foot on the Dodger Stadium fence while making a great catch on June 3. The play may have saved the game but hurt the Yankees in the long run, as the team entered play Saturday having gone 5-10 without him while the offense has struggled mightily.

The star outfielder had been hitting .291 with 19 home runs in 49 games at the time of the injury.