New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman won't rule out anything regarding the potential return of three-time MVP Aaron Judge, including the possibility of him not playing again this season.
"I think that question is a fair question on anybody's side," Cashman said Monday, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo. "Like, is that possible? It's always possible that things don't go the way you want, but we currently are still very optimistic that he's going to return.
"But there's challenges with all that too. While he's returning, whenever that time frame is, and ramping him up and getting his timing down, etc. ... So I can't rule out any of it."
Judge hasn't played since May 31 due to a stress fracture in his rib. He underwent imaging in mid-July that showed healing, but he has yet to resume baseball activities.
Cashman explained that Judge's status for the remainder of the season depends on the results of his next round of imaging. A date for the imaging hasn't been determined.
"It's a pretty high likelihood and optimism that he fits that time frame for him to get back and joins us," Cashman said. "And that's what I'm hoping and holding on to, and I know that's what he believes, and I know that's what the doctors believe. But it's always a moving target too.
"And until you get closer to the comfort of deployment of, yes, you can start actually doing physical and baseball activities and you're cleared, the healing's enough, etc. - that's when you get a much better picture of how much longer this is going to take. So, whenever we re-image, we'll get a better idea."
Judge was hitting .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs in 59 games before being sidelined. The Yankees have struggled on offense without the 34-year-old as well as Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, who are out with injuries of their own.
