Yankee fans held their collective breath on Monday when Aaron Boone’s press conference was replaced by one that would include Brian Cashman, which came after Aaron Judge wasn’t in the lineup for a third straight day.
But after it was revealed that Judge was just dealing with an illness, the slugger is now ready to start the season with the Yanks on Opening Day.
“He’s good to go,” Boone said on a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday. “Looks great. Looked great in BP. He looks great, feels great, ready to go."
Judge wouldn’t have been ready for a normal Opening Day last season due to a rib fracture, and many worried that he would be adding another injury to his recent history during Monday’s tension, but he will be on track to try and put together his first full season since his rookie campaign in 2017.
And, later in the day, Boone expanded on the illness situation on Carton & Roberts, tripling down on the good to go mantra.
“Judgey looks great, feels great, ready to go,” Boone said.
Justin Wilson also looks ready to go, Boone said, but the lefty reliever was put on the IL after experiencing shoulder tightness during spring training, but Boone does anticipate Wilson beginning his second stint with the Yanks when the team travels to Tampa Bay for a series with the Rays on April 9.
“He’s doing really well,” Boone said. “It’s one of those where he wanted to be ready to go tomorrow, and on some level probably could, but we just wanted to err on the side of caution.”
Wilson will throw live batting practice in the next stage of his ramp-up, then will try to throw back-to-back live BPs before returning to game action.
As for Miguel Andujar, Boone gave an update on the injured utility man on Carton & Roberts as well.
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