Around the Empire: Yankees news - 4/28/23

MLB.com | Dave Sessions: In case you missed it because you were watching the NFL Draft or the Rangers/Devils playoff clash, Yankees captain and reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge exited yesterday’s game in the fourth inning with “right hip discomfort.” This is just one day after he injured his hand while sliding into second base.

Judge himself said that he only expects to miss the next couple days and described it as “just a little grab in the hip area.” If the injury eventually requires IL time though, he would join Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson, and Harrison Bader, giving the Yankees an injured list reminiscent of the 2019 season. Obviously, even if the Yankees offense had not been in a funk, this is the definition of a “not good thing.”

NJ.com | Randy Miller: Unfortunately, Judge’s injury was not the only injury news of the day. Reliever Lou Trivino has been sent for a second opinion on his elbow strain — and when you’re talking about elbow strains, speculation immediately turns to Tommy John surgery once a second opinion is sought. In more positive news, Luis Severino and Carlos Rodón are each expected to throw on Friday, marking an important step in their returns to the rotation, while Harrison Bader had a day off in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton.

The Dallas Morning News | Evan Grant: It’s not often we turn to other cities in our daily news links, but this report out of Dallas is a reminder of the sheer drawing power of the New York Yankees. This weekend’s four-game set between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees is currently in line to set the record for the most-attended series in the (brief) history of Globe Life Field, as only 3,000 seats (plus standing room only) remain available. The current record is, perhaps not surprisingly, also a Yankees/Rangers series — specifically, the final one from last season, when Aaron Judge was chasing home run No. 62.

CBS Sports | Matt Snyder: Lastly, it’s been an up-and-down month for the Yankees, but one player who has clearly done his part is Gerrit Cole. The ace was the lone Yankee named to CBS Sports’ All-April team, as Snyder agrees that it was an excellent beginning for Cole in his bid to finally win a Cy Young Award. He gave up a couple runs last night but still kept up the superb pitching on the whole. Cole will end April with a 1.11 ERA, a 2.06 FIP, 44 strikeouts in 40.2 innings, no homers allowed, and for the won/loss fans out there, a 5-0 record.