Aaron Judge said he was fine on Monday despite not starting for the first time during the Yankees’ 23-game in 22-day stretch they began on May 8.
The rest came versus the Orioles with young right-hander Kyle Bradish on the mound.
Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have held up well so far this season and are a major — if not the major — factor the Yankees’ offense has been so good, especially over the past three weeks.
Judge has been as good as anyone in the lineup. Due to the rainouts against the Rangers this month, Judge had started all nine games in the previous eight days, going 10-for-33 with three homers, eight RBIs and six walks.
The 30-year-old Judge is looking to remain healthy for a second straight season and the schedule is part of that — regardless of how well he’s going at the plate.
Aaron Boone said Monday he had targeted either Sunday’s day game in the series finale against the White Sox in Chicago or Monday.
Aaron Judge got the day off against the Orioles on Monday.AP“I think they could all use one [day off] during this stretch,’’ Boone said. “Especially the guys we depend on. Hopefully it serves him well.”
And unlike other times when Judge has been held out of the lineup because he is nursing a minor injury, Boone said this was more “preventative.”
After being the Yankees’ hottest hitter in April, Anthony Rizzo has cooled off.
The first baseman entered Monday in a 6-for-46 slump with a double, triple, no homers and two RBIs along with six walks and 11 strikeouts and an OPS of .455 in his last 54 plate appearances.
Boone said he thought Rizzo’s swing was coming back after it was “a little off … for a week leading up to that.”
The manager also noted that Rizzo ripped two balls to the outfield in Sunday’s win over the White Sox, with a fly ball to the warning track off Michael Kopech in the sixth and a second hard liner to center in the ninth, both of which measured over 100 mph, according to Statcast.
“He’s just missing balls,’’ Boone said.
This is the second trip the Yankees have made to Camden Yards since the Orioles moved the left-field wall back and raised it in an effort to reduce the number of home runs hit at the ballpark.
“I feel it’s taken away a little of the charm of the place, which is a special thing,’’ Boone said. “The low fence with the fans right there. It still is beautiful. To me, [the change] makes it a little less.”
