Chad Jennings

cjennings@lohud.com

The Yankees announced on Saturday that top outfield prospect Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a mild PCL sprain and bone bruise of the left knee. He has been placed on the Triple-A disabled list and will not participate in the Triple-A All-Star Game festivities next week.

Manager Joe Girardi said on Sunday that he's heard three to four weeks is the expected timetable for Judge's return.

“This is kind of what I’m hearing, so I wouldn’t hold me to it," Girardi said. "I wouldn't write it etched in stone or type it or whatever you do these days."

It's been typed, but I suppose we'll consider that a very preliminary timetable, subject to change.

"There’s really no significant damage in either area," Girardi said. "So that’s good news."

An MRI examined an injury Judge suffered on Friday night. He made one diving play in the outfield, then he came up limping while running to first base later in the game. The Yankees made no definitive statement about which play actually caused the injury, but their announcement specifically mentioned both the dive and the run to first base.

Triple-A manager Al Pedrique announced a much shorter timetable for Judge's return.

"The MRI came back negative, so no damage, so that’s a good thing," Pedrique told Shane Hennigan of the Scranton Times-Tribune. "So we feel like with days off, the rest that he’s going to get, he should be ready to go hopefully by the time we get to Charlotte (on July 18). The plan for him is to stay with us.”

Playing on July 18 would mean missing only a week and a half.

Judge was just named the International League Player of the Month for June after he hit .343/.477/.686 with nine home runs in the month. Judge had just one hit in his past four games before the injury, but last month made a significant statement, and Baseball America ranked him within the top 50 of its Midseason Top 100 Prospects list released on Friday.

For however long Judge is out, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will still have Jake Cave, Ben Gamel and Cesar Puello in a crowded and productive outfield. First baseman Tyler Austin can play there as well. Worth wondering if the injury could open at-bats and playing time for Mason Williams, who's currently playing out a rehab assignment while working his way back from shoulder surgery.

Of course, those are secondary concerns. Judge had been so productive in the past month, that he was beginning to look like a call-up candidate, especially if the Yankees sell at the deadline and open playing time in the outfield. For now, they'll wait to see how long it takes him to get back on the field.