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By Tyler Erzberger
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Aaron Judge has won three of the last four American League MVP awards, and although he wasn't having his best season by his standards, the New York Yankees slugger was expected to be among the favorites for the honor by the end of September.
Not only might that be out of the question, but Judge's entire 2026 and beyond might be in danger following an injury that could be something that only keeps him out for two weeks or something that could effectively end his career as we know it.
Judge reported shoulder pain while swinging at the end of May, and the Yankees haven't found anything in their initial screenings to suggest a straightforward cause for their superstar's discomfort.
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On Thursday, it was reported that the team was consulting Dr. Gregory Pearl, a physician who specializes in "complex vascular procedures and thoracic outlet syndrome management in high-performance athletes," according to his website.
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Thoracic outlet syndrome would be the worst-case scenario for Judge and the Yankees; not only would the diagnosis end his season, but it would also possibly end any chance of him playing at his peak condition ever again.
The syndrome affects the nerves between the neck and shoulder, and even after surgery, it can rob an elite athlete like Judge of strength and speed.
Matt Harvey, who was on top of the world with the New York Mets in 2015, never recovered after the procedure. Although it is theoretically easier for position players to come back from the surgery than pitchers, if Judge has a more severe case of TOS, the likelihood of him bouncing back to the levels at which he won back-to-back MVPs would be low.
While the Yankees are still waiting on the results of Judge's injury and hoping that Pearl can rule out TOS, fans in the Bronx will hold their breath, hoping for the best for their captain.
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