Yankees' Aaron Judge To Go On IL with Elbow Injury, Expected to DH After Return

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge will be placed on the injured list after being diagnosed with a flexor strain, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Saturday.

Boone said Judge's UCL is intact and that he will serve as a designated hitter upon returning from the IL.

Judge sat out the New York Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday with what was initially deemed an "elbow issue," Boone told reporters.

According to Boone, Judge had difficulty throwing on Friday night against the visiting Phillies. Judge was held without a hit while recording an RBI and a strikeout in three at-bats during the Yankees' 12-5 loss.

YES Network announcers pointed out on a Tuesday night broadcast of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays that Judge appeared to be in pain after throwing from the outfield during the seventh inning.

Judge returned to the lineup on Wednesday in the designated hitter slot rather than his usual location in right field.

“He’s okay. It’s not much," Boone told reporters about the position change ahead of Wednesday's game, per NJ.com's Randy Miller. "It’s just probably a throw that didn’t feel great. He’s not DHing because of that. I think he’s all right.”

The Yankees then had a day off on Thursday, during which Boone said Judge felt better, according to NJ.com's Max Goodman.

During Friday night's series opener against the Phillies, however, Boone said Judge was “really dealing with it” and “couldn’t throw well from the outfield," per Goodman.

Saturday marked the first time this season Judge sat out a game for the Yankees. He has so far put together a convincing case to win his second consecutive MVP award by leading MLB with a .342 batting average through 103 games.

Judge's absence from the lineup coincided with the Yankees debut of third baseman Ryan McMahon, who was acquired via trade from the Colorado Rockies in order to help shore up the club's infield defense issues.

Given that he has three home runs in six games since the All-Star break, McMahon could potentially also provide some offense to help cover for what the Yankees will hope is a short-term absence from their seven-time All-Star slugger.