Yankees have nightmare season unfolding with another star going in for an MRI

On Monday, Gerrit Cole went in for an MRI after feeling discomfort in his right elbow.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the issues plaguing the New York Yankees. Another Yankees star will join the reigning American League Cy Young on the shelf.

The star in question is none other than Aaron Judge. The Yankees outfielder and slugger underwent an MRI on his abs on Monday.

The injury has set Judge back a few days, and the slugger says that he will not swing a bat again until later in the week. He also said that his goal is to play on Opening Day.

"There's no real need to push it," the slugger added.

Aaron Judge undergoes MRI, Yankees hit with another setback

Fortunately, Judge's issue doesn't sound as severe as Cole's. But the Yankees certainly have had better weeks.

Cole and Judge are the team's two best players, and without them, they are a completely different team, and not for the better.

Though Judge's goal is to play on Opening Day, there is a chance that this could be more severe. This is certainly the last thing the Yankees needed to happen. If this takes longer than expected, then a tough start to the 2024 season may await the Bronx Bombers.

The Yankees missed the postseason last year, finishing in fourth place in the AL East with a record of 82-80.

They'll certainly hope that Judge is cleared to swing a bat by the end of this week and won't need to start the season on the injured list. The former MVP will be tough to replace if he goes down.

Fortunately, Judge sounds optimistic about the situation and not terribly concerned that this is going to last for an extended period of time. Just a brief shutdown would ultimately be the best-case scenario for Judge and the Yankees.