Judge placed on IL
Yankees’ top slugger joins Stanton on list
Oft-injured New York Yankees star Aaron Judge was placed on the injured list with a right calf strain before a game Friday night against Boston and manager Aaron Boone is optimistic the outfielder will not miss significant time.
The move was retroactive to Wednesday and Boone described the strain as mild after an MRI revealed the injury.
To replace Judge on the roster, Thairo Estrada was called up from the Yankees’ alternate site in Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre.
Judge began Friday leading the majors with nine homers and tied with Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon for the major league lead with 20 RBIs.
“It’s something that I think he really wants to try and work through here and kind of wants to be out here and feels like it’s a day-to-day thing which it may very well be, but I just think obviously it goes without saying how important a player Aaron is to us,” Boone said.
Judge joined Giancarlo Stanton as the second Yankees slugger to land on the injured list this.
Stanton was placed on the IL with a strained hamstring after getting hurt in the second game a week ago of a doubleheader.
“We’ve lost two MVP-caliber players,” Boone said. “Obviously that is a blow, especially two guys that playing well as they are right now.”
Indians
Cleveland activated pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger from the restricted list Friday and optioned them to the team’s alternate training site. The pitchers had been placed on the restricted list Tuesday for violating protocols related to the coronavirus pandemic. Plesac and Clevinger will have to be at the team’s alternate training site for at least 10 days, per MLB rules.
Mets
Two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was scratched from his scheduled start against the Phillies in Philadelphia because of neck tightness. The ace (2-0, 2.45 ERA) said the tightness has lingered throughout the week but that tests revealed no structural damage.
Cardinals
Coach Willie McGee has opted out of being with the team for the rest of the season. McGee, 61, a four-time All-Star outfielder and the 1985 NL MVP for the Cardinals, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he has high blood pressure. McGee said he has three older daughters and five grandchildren living at his family home in California.
Nationals
Washington picked up Luis Garcia’s contract, a move that coincided with infielder Starlin Castro being placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken right wrist. Garcia is considered to be one of the top prospects in the minor league system.
Athletics
Outfielder Ramon Laureano’s suspension for charging at the Houston Astros bench was reduced from six games to four. Laureano dropped his appeal after reaching a settlement with Major League Baseball, and his suspension started Friday night and will go through Monday. He won’t miss any in-division games. Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron received a 20-game suspension and a fine for his role in the fracas Sunday at Oakland.