"Just waiting to hear Aaron Judge is on the IL" - MLB podcaster feels Yankees captain's lingering toe injuries will come back to haunt him in 2024

Last year, the New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge missed 42 games after injuring his right big toe against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was a trend within the team as several key players were hit with the injury bug. It led to the organization missing the postseason for the first time in six years.

Puzzlingly, Judge didn't get surgery on the injured ligament in his toe this offseason. Judge shared in a press conference he didn't undergo surgery but will require "constant maintenance" for his injured toe for the rest of his career. Associated Press' Ronald Blum reported this.

The move drew the ire of MLB podcaster and known Yankee faithful Keith McPherson. McPherson expressed his disappointment on his podcast and predicted how the Yankees' 2024 season would go.

“So in my mind, as a pessimistic Yankee fan, knowing they lead the league in IL stints since 2019, I’m just waiting for July or August to hear Aaron Judge is on the IL, his toe is sore.” - McPherson through his podcast

The radio show host's concerns aren't unwarranted, as Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Harrison Bader were shelved for a considerable time. The plague that emblazoned the team eventually led to it finishing fourth in its stacked division with an 82-80 record.

The team could become heavy favorites in the American League again. However, McPherson's prophecy for the team might be fulfilled as early as midseason if it can't remain healthy and clever with its plays.

Aaron Judge's injury history

Aaron Judge has a well-documented history of injuries and ailments that prevent him from completing a season without hitting the IL. However, 2017 and 2022 are exceptions, which were his most successful seasons in the league.

Judge's rookie season was cut short in 2016 with an oblique strain. He underwent surgery after the 2017 season due to a shoulder injury. In 2018, he fractured his right wrist, which sidelined him for two months. The following year, the star outfielder once again had an oblique strain that kept him out for almost three months. In 2020, he suffered a calf strain and reaggravated it after returning.

Finally, in his never-ending saga of injuries, he was out early in 2023 with a hip issue. He then injured his big toe in a freak incident at Dodger Stadium.