The New York Yankees have suffered a litany of injuries this season, on all fronts: their lineup, their rotation, their bullpen, and even their bench.
They are currently without their best player, Aaron Judge, as he nurses some strained toe ligaments.
On Tuesday, however, they finally got some good news on the injury front.
No, it’s not Judge – yet – but they are getting a crucial piece back.
Two significant updates from Yankees this afternoon:
Harrison Bader reinstated from 10-day IL.
Carlos Rodón begins his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset.@MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 20, 2023
Center fielder Harrison Bader, per MLB insider Jon Morosi, will return to the active roster on Tuesday night as the Yankees try to get back on track after being swept by the Boston Red Sox.
Bader’s return is a welcomed development for the Yanks.
He is not only a Gold Glove-caliber defender at center field, but he also offers a slightly above-average bat and some power and speed.
He is hitting .267/.295/.511 with six home runs and six stolen bases in 26 games this year.
He is not exactly an on-base asset, but rarely strikes out and when he makes contact, good things happen.
On the other hand, Carlos Rodon starting a rehab assignment is a resounding moral victory for the team.
They gave him a six-year, $162 million contract after dominating two straight years with the Chicago White Sox (2021) and the San Francisco Giants (2022).
Shortly after the start of spring training, he reported a forearm issue that has been resolved by now and a troublesome back injury that refused to go away for weeks.
Now that he feels close to 100 percent, he is starting to build up arm strength and could return to the Yankees rotation in July if everything goes smoothly.
The Yankees are far from being 100 percent healthy, but they are getting there.
NEXT: Yankees Fans Are Getting Concerned With Giancarlo Stanton
