Yankees' Aaron Judge still in swing despite dislocated pinkie
The Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates his solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of a game in Toronto on Tuesday. Credit: AP/Frank Gunn
TORONTO — Aaron Boone declared Aaron Judge "good to go" before Tuesday night’s game. The rightfielder then went out and showed it in his first at-bat.
Judge, who dislocated his left pinkie Sunday night in Boston in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 6-3 victory — and stayed in the game after popping it back into place on the field — singled in his first at-bat Tuesday off Toronto lefthander Hyun Jin Ryu.
Judge muscled a first-pitch fastball on a soft line to right. He later homered and had a sacrifice fly in the Yankees' 7-2 victory.
The injury occurred in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game when Judge dived headfirst into second base after hitting a go-ahead two-run double in what would be a 6-3 Yankees victory. As he slid and reached for the bag, his left pinkie became dislocated after being bent awkwardly upon contact with the base.
"Obviously, everyone's a little bit banged up [this time of year], but I think we're fortunate in that it wasn't something too serious or that's going to keep him out of the lineup," Boone said. "Probably [will] be something that he has to deal with, but he's good to go."
Boone acknowledged the possibility of Judge, who took full batting practice on the field Tuesday with no apparent issues, being limited somewhat by the injury, but he didn’t sound as if that was a real concern.
"Everything affects everything a little bit, I guess," Boone said. "But I am confident he should be fine going out there and not being inhibited in anything that he's capable of doing."
Lo seems to be a go for Wednesday
Boone said Jonathan Loaisiga, who has been on the injured list since Sept. 5 with a right shoulder strain, "probably" will be activated for Wednesday night’s game. Loaisiga, the club’s best reliever this season, is 9-4 with a 2.25 ERA in 54 games.
