Around the Empire: Yankees news - 6/30/23

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: The New York Yankees have been on a rollercoaster this season when it comes to the production of certain players. Even guys like Anthony Rizzo have gone through ups and downs, and he’s usually a marker for consistency at the plate. However, there has been one area of the game that the Yankees have excelled at, and it’s their play in the field. The Yankees have statistically been one of the best overall defenses in MLB. They sit sixth in the league per Jay Jaffe’s article on team defenses.

New York Post | Belle Frasier: Perfect games don’t happen often, and when one does happen, it gives the people around the game, whether it’s in the booth or in the dugout, time to reflect on the history and what the game means to the individual. For Ryan Ruocco and his best friend Justin Shackil, calling Domingo Germán’s perfect game was a huge honor and one of the coolest in their broadcasting careers. It is a moment that they will be able to talk about for the rest of their lives, and it’s certainly not lost on either of them.

SI.com | Brady Farkas: The Yankees are usually at the top of the food chain when it comes to baseball history and winning. Any record that regards wins, losses, or individual feats in games, the Yankees usually hold the record for the most. However, it took Germán’s perfect performance against the Oakland Athletics for them to pass the Chicago White Sox for most perfect games thrown by an organization.

MLB.com | Sonja Chen: Finally, some news on the Aaron Judge injury front after it was reported that he tore a ligament in his right big toe. He reportedly played catch before the Yankees faced off against the Athletics on Wednesday. Judge knows that there are certain steps that need to be taken along the road to recovery, and this is one of them.

As Andrew wrote yesterday, Judge was also officially voted onto the American League All-Star team. He won’t play due to the injury, but it will be his fifth appearance at the Midsummer Classic.