10/16/25 01:46:00
Printable Page
10/16 13:44 CDT Yankees' Judge doesn't need surgery, but Volpe and Rodn had
operations and could be out until May
Yankees' Judge doesn't need surgery, but Volpe and Rodn had operations and
could be out until May
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Yankees star Aaron Judge won't need surgery on his elbow but
shortstop Anthony Volpe and left-hander Carlos Rodn had operations this week
and could be sidelined until May.
Judge's throwing was limited after the two-time AL MVP hurt the flexor tendon
in his right elbow in July. Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday an MRI after the
team was eliminated last week showed "no surgery is going to be needed."
"He'll take some time off and continue to do strengthening things and rehab and
stuff, but felt like he finished the season in a pretty good place as we saw
continued improvements," Boone said.
Volpe and Rodn are projected to start the season on the injured list and could
be sidelined until May, Boone and general manager Brian Cashman said at their
end-of-season news conferences.
Volpe, the Yankees shortstop since 2023, had arthroscopic surgery Tuesday with
head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad to repair the labrum in his left
shoulder. Boone said Volpe can start hitting in four months but can't dive on
the shoulder for six months.
"The cleanup was more severe than the MRI result," Cashman said.
Rodn was operated on Wednesday by Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr.
Neal ElAttrache to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur.
He has eight weeks of no throwing.
Giancarlo Stanton, who didn't make his season debut until June 16 because of
right and left elbow epicondylitis, does not need surgery.
"He's in a pretty good place," Boone said. "He'll treat it and everything but
nothing expected for Big G."
Gerrit Cole, returning from Tommy John surgery in March, will throw lightly off
a mound next week and could be available not far after opening day.
New York has a record 27 World Series titles but none since 2009. After beating
Boston in the Wild Card Series, the Yankees lost a four-game Division Series to
Toronto.
"It's just playing at the highest level at the most important time and you've
got to maintain that and do that for the entire month of October," said Boone,
the manager since the 2018 season.
After losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series, New York
started the season 35-20, slumped during a 25-34 stretch as its bullpen
struggled, then closed 34-14 and lost the AL East to Toronto on a tiebreaker.
"Could I have been more creative in some of the things that I could have done
in those games in the middle of the season where we were a little short?" Boone
asked out loud.
Boone's contract runs through 2027.
"He's one of the better managers," Cashman said. "Because of our environment,
he's someone that can be second-guessed 10 million times over. And I don't care
who you put in that, that would be the same, whoever else would be there. I
trust him. I think he's a good man. I think he works his tail off."
Among potential free agents, Cashman said the Yankees would like to retain Cody
Bellinger.
"We'd love to have him with our team moving forward," he said.
Bullpen coach Mike Harkey and first base/infield coach Travis Chapman won't
return for 2026, assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler won't be in that role and
minor league hitting coordinator Jake Hirst will be taking that job. Cashman
said third base coach Luis Rojas was given permission to interview for
Baltimore's manager opening and hitting coach James Rowson was allowed to
interview for Minnesota's manager job.
Judge hurt his elbow making a throw at Toronto on July 22. The 33-year-old came
back on Aug. 5 from a 10-day stint on the injured list caused by the strained
flexor tendon in his right elbow and threw gingerly upon his outfield return on
Sept. 5. He gradually built up arm strength.
Judge led the major leagues with a .331 average and 1.145 OPS, hitting 53
homers with 114 RBIs and 124 walks. He hit .500 with one homer, seven RBIs and
four walks in the postseason.
Volpe hurt the shoulder on May 3 in an unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab
on Christopher Morel's eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in
Tampa Bay's 3-2 win. He returned to the lineup two days later but struggled for
much of the season.
Volpe, 24, had a cortisone shot during the All-Star break and a second one on
Sept. 10, three days after aggravating the shoulder while making a diving stop
on Isiah Kiner-Falefa in a 4-3 win over Toronto. Volpe hit .212 with 19 homers
and a career-high 72 RBIs and then .192 with one homer, two RBIs and 16
strikeouts in seven postseason games. He went 1 for 15 with 11 strikeouts in
the AL Division Series, making out in his last 13 at-bats.
In the field, Volpe made a career-high 19 errors, tied for third-most among
major league shortstops.
"The offense is really in line with what he's done the first two years. For him
to become that frontline shortstop, that's got to improve. He understands that.
We understand that," Boone said. "He's 24 years old."
Rodn, who turns 33 in December, was 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA. Cashman said the
team learned recently of the need for surgery.
Jasson Domnguez remains in the outfield mix after a down season in his return
from Tommy John surgery and may play winter ball. Spencer Jones, a 24-year-old
power-hitting, strikeout-prone outfielder, would have a chance to win a roster
spot in spring training.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
|
