TORONTO — Witnessing Aaron Judge smash his 36th and 37th home runs in his 103rd game of the season on Wednesday had Gerrit Cole yearning for more protection at Dodger Stadium. “Can we get some padding at Dodger Stadium?” he mused later. It’s no secret that Judge’s season was marred by a two-month absence due to a torn ligament in his right big toe after a remarkable catch at Dodger Stadium on June 3. While the impact of that play on the Yankees’ overall season remains uncertain, Judge’s performance on Wednesday suggests that he could have been on track for a second consecutive 60-plus home run season. Manager Aaron Boone, expressing his awe, commented, “It’s incredible. After the second one, I said to either [hitting coach Sean Casey] or [bench coach Carlos Mendoza], ‘That’s 37 [home runs] with two months out.’ It’s remarkable. And it’s fitting that Aaron has this night on the night when Gerrit probably secures the Cy Young award. Pretty cool. It’s fun to watch these two great players excel.” Judge’s two homers on Wednesday were both two-run shots. The first came off Jose Berrios, followed by another off reliever Trevor Richards, marking Judge’s seventh multi-home run game of the year. Despite being less than 100 percent healthy, Judge has rejected the possibility of shutting down for the season, even with the Yankees out of playoff contention. He is currently tied for third in the American League for home runs. Following Aaron Judge’s memorable two-home run night, Gerrit Cole, who pitched a complete-game shutout, quipped, “Can we get some padding at Dodger Stadium?” The Yankees will have multiple areas to address during their offseason organizational assessment. One aspect that demands close attention is the team’s injury record in recent years. The organization made changes to its strength and conditioning departments at the start of the 2020 season with the appointment of Eric Cressey as the director of health and player performance. However, the Yankees have faced significant injury challenges this season, with 29 players spending a combined 2,089 days on the injured list — the third-highest number in the league, according to Spotrac. While some injuries, such as Judge’s toe ligament tear and Anthony Rizzo’s post-concussion syndrome, were unusual incidents, others were soft-tissue strains. Boone acknowledged that certain injuries are unavoidable, while also citing factors such as roster makeup and the presence of veteran players that contribute to the team’s injury statistics. “It’s a little bit of everything. We’re constantly striving to improve our treatment, evaluation, and injury prevention methods. However, we can’t avoid all injuries. But in many ways, we have made progress. We just need to demonstrate that progress with tangible evidence, which currently doesn’t favor us,” Boone explained. The Yankees aren’t alone in their injury struggles this season, but their inability to overcome this adversity as effectively as other teams has undoubtedly impacted their absence from the postseason. Keynan Middleton (shoulder inflammation) pitched a bullpen session on Wednesday and is expected to meet the team in Kansas City over the weekend. He might be activated from the injured list for an appearance before becoming a free agent in the offseason. Boone stated, “It depends on our needs and available innings. So we’ll see. It’s a possibility.” Meanwhile, Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery) could be activated off the injured list and potentially throw two or three innings on Saturday, serving as a piggyback starter behind Clarke Schmidt. Boone also paid tribute to the late Brooks Robinson, the former Orioles legend, praising his grace, kindness, and contributions to the game. “When you think of great defense, he’s one of the first guys that comes to mind. He was beloved in Baltimore, but his impact extended throughout the baseball world,” Boone shared.
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