Yankees Manager Gives Bleak Update on Judge’s Return to Outfield
Yankees manager gives bleak update on Aaron Judge returning to the field.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone still isn’t sure when Aaron Judge will be able to return to the outfield.
Judge injured his arm on July 22 while throwing a ball in from the outfield during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The slugger had to hit the IL, and since then, he has been just a DH.
Given that it’s been over a month since the injury, Boone was asked when Judge will return to the field. However, after the Yankees’ blowout win over the Washington Nationals on August 27, Boone said there is still no update on when he will return to the field.
“Boone also said he still doesn’t have a target date for Judge’s in-game return to the outfield,” Gary Phillips of New York Daily News wrote.
For now, Judge remains a full-time DH, but the Yankees will need his bat to get better. Judge hit a homer on August 27 as he has been struggling at the plate, but Boone isn’t worried.
Instead, Boone says Judge’s struggles were due to timing and not the nagging injury. But that doesn’t rule out the manager giving Judge an off-day in the near future.
“That’s probably been a tick off,” Boone said. “But that’s constantly something as hitters that you’re kind of working through. We know with Aaron that that’s a matter of time.”
Judge is hitting .323 with 41 home runs and 95 RBIs this season.
Judge Throws to Bases
Although Boone isn’t sure when Judge will return to the field, he is starting to throw to the bases.
Judge threw to bases at Yankee Stadium for the first time since the injury on August 24. It was a major step in the right direction for the Yankees’ slugger.
However, despite Judge starting to throw to the bases, Boone says he isn’t any closer to returning to the outfield.
With Judge now being the DH, Giancarlo Stanton has started to play in the outfield.
Judge & Yankees Get Hot Against Nationals
New York’s bats got hot on August 27 as the Yankees cruised to an 11-2 win over the Nationals.
The win included the Yankees’ batting for 41 minutes and scoring 9 runs in the third inning, as New York sent 15 batters to the plate. The inning included Judge and Cody Bellinger hitting back-to-back home runs.
“It’s just everybody clicking, everybody having good at-bats, not trying to do too much,” Judge said. “Guys just had good at-bat after good at-bat. Bellinger hits the big homer after me, and everybody’s trying to pass the baton.”
Judge, meanwhile, says the Yankees’ offense did what it needed to do, as everyone did their job.
“I know we scored a lot of runs that inning, but you could tell from each guy up in the box, the guys on deck, even if you took a peek in the dugout, guys were locked in there on the top step,” Judge said. “That really helped us not think about how many runs we scored or what just happened. It was like, ‘Hey, you got a job to do up there. It doesn’t matter how many outs, who’s on base, what the score is, you’ve got to go up there and do a job.’ It’s what makes this team special.”
The Yankees are now 73-60 and tied for second in the AL East.
Lions Officially Announce Massive Jameson Williams Contract Extension
On Sunday morning, the day of their season-opening matchup against their division-rival Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions officially announced their massive contract extension for WR Jameson Williams. The speedster wide receiver and former first-round pick was a big part of Detroit’s offense last season, and now he’s locked up for the foreseeable future.
According to NFL inside Jordan Schultz on Saturday, the Lions signed Williams to a three-year deal worth up to $83 million on the eve of the season. The extension officially keeps Williams under contract through 2029, as he was still on the fourth year of his rookie contract this season and could have played on the fifth-year option in 2026.
Schultz adds that the deal carries $67 million in guarantees, a hefty number. The $27.6 million in average annual value ranks 13th in the league among wide receivers, just above the Bears’ D.J. Moore and just under the Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle.
“The Lions have signed WR Jameson Williams to a contract extension,” the team’s press release reads. “Among all NFL players in 2024, he tied for 1st in 50+ yard catches (five) & was 2nd in receiving average (17.3). Among all NFL WRs with 50+ catches last year, he ranked 1st in YAC/reception (8.6).”
Jameson Williams Had a Breakout Season in 2024
Mike Mulholland/GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 05: Jameson Williams #9 of the Detroit Lions reacts after a first down during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 05, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
It wasn’t a banner start to his career for Williams. The former star at Alabama in college was the No. 12 overall pick in 2022. The Lions paid a steep price to get him, trading a first-rounder (No. 32), a second-rounder (No. 34), and a third-rounder for the No. 2 pick and a lower second-rounder (No. 46). Detroit had already used a first-round pick that year on OT Penei Sewell (No. 7).
Williams was recovering from an ACL tear as a rookie and only played in six games, logging a single reception. But that one catch went for 41 yards and a touchdown, flashing his high-level potential as a game-breaking speed threat.
With just 24 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, many were wondering if the Lions had made a mistake drafting Williams so high. But he put those concerns to rest in a breakout 2024 campaign, when he had 58 catches for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns, adding an important field-stretching ability to the Lions offense.
The Detroit Lions Offense Will Have Some New Pieces This Season
The high-flying Lions offense will have some new elements this season. Star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears, taking his ingenuity and creativity with him. Internal promotion John Morton has big shoes to fill, but the team has every confidence in him.
Along the offensive line, C Frank Ragnow retired and G Kevin Zeitler signed with the Titans in free agency. Graham Glasgow slides over to center to replace Ragnow, while rookie second-rounder Tate Ratledge steps in at RG for Zeitler.
Despite the new faces, this Lions offense should remain one of the NFL’s best — even if it looks a little different.
