Yankees' Aaron Judge Reveals Toe Injury Involves Ligament Tear; Still in Pain Walking

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge provided a somewhat troubling update Saturday regarding the toe injury that has kept him on the injured list since June 6.

According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Judge said he tore a ligament in his toe and continues to experience pain when he walks.

When the Yankees initially placed Judge on the IL, the team said he was dealing with a contusion and sprained ligament in his right big toe.

Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Saturday he believes Judge will return this season but didn't offer any guarantees.

"That's an absolute," he said. "I can't say that about anyone."

Per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, Judge suggested that his return is predicated on pain tolerance, saying: "I've got to knock out the rehab stuff. I've had different injuries over the years where it's going to take a while. It's not going to be perfect here in a couple of weeks. Once we can manage the pain, we're going to be in a good spot."

He then added: "I don't think too many people in here have torn a ligament in their toe. If it was a quad, we'd have a better answer. If it's an oblique or hamstring, we have answers and a timeline for that. With how unique this injury is, and it being my back foot, which I push off of and run off of, it's a tough spot."

Judge suffered the injury during a June 3 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Judge made a spectacular catch, but he crashed into the right field wall and busted the bullpen door open:

The Yankees held him out of the lineup for the next couple of days before placing him on the IL, which is where he has resided ever since.

It marks Judge's second IL stint of the season, as he previously missed time in late April and early May with a hip strain.

The Yankees have desperately missed their superstar slugger, as they ranked last in Major League Baseball in the month of June in team batting average (.193), on-base percentage (.254) and runs scored (60) entering play Saturday, according to Hoch.

New York is also just 6-10 since Judge last player, dropping its record to 41-35, which places it third in the American League East, 10.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.

Even so, the Yanks still hold the final wild-card spot in the AL, a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays.

The 31-year-old Judge made history last season, hitting an AL-record 62 home runs. He also led the AL with 131 RBI, 133 runs scored and 111 walks last season, while hitting a career-best .311, earning him his first AL MVP award.

Judge's monster season earned him a huge new contract with the Yankees, as he signed a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain with the Bronx Bombers.

Prior to getting injured, Judge had himself firmly in the MVP mix again this season, slashing .291/.404/.674 with 19 homers, 40 RBI and 42 runs scored in 49 games.

Giancarlo Stanton and Harrison Bader recently returned from IL stints of their own, but it has done little to lift a Yankees team that is clearly not the same without Judge.

Judge's absence has also exacerbated the hitting struggles of D.J. LeMahieu, Anthony Volpe and Josh Donaldson, and forced players like Jake Bauers and Isiah Kiner-Falefa into more prominent roles.

Boone said Thursday that Judge resumed strength work and could resume light hitting and throwing by the end of the week, but his refusal to guarantee Judge's return this season could be cause for concern.

Based on how the Yankees have hit during Judge's absence, their streak of six consecutive playoff appearances is in serious jeopardy if he can't come back in the near future.