Yankees vs. Rangers Friday MLB injury report, odds: Aaron Judge will miss first game of season, showdown vs. Jacob deGrom

There aren't too many non-pitchers in Major League Baseball whose absence would significantly affect a betting line in a particular game, but there's no question that Yankees record-setting star Aaron Judge, the reigning AL MVP and current +900 third favorite for 2023 at Caesars Sportsbook, is one of them. Judge left Thursday's game at Texas with an injury and will at least miss tonight's matchup because of it, unfortunately denying fans an intriguing showdown with two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom of the Rangers.

There was some speculation that the Yankees might rest Judge for Thursday because he hurt his hand sliding in Wednesday's game. He started Thursday and was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before leaving in the fourth inning with right hip discomfort. He later described it as "a little grab in the hip area" during his at-bat in the second inning.

"It wasn't until the second-to-last swing that at-bat [in the second inning], I kind of felt something grab," Judge said. "They kind of thought it'd be best to shut it down and see how we feel after a couple days and then get back in there."

For the season, Judge is batting .261 with six homers and 14 RBI. He missed five games last year and New York was 3-2 in those outings. That Yankees lineup is quite watered-down without him and former NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, on the IL with a hamstring strain and perhaps not back until June.

Texas had opened as a -170 favorite behind deGrom yesterday afternoon at Caesars but is now -210, and that's likely not done rising once the casual bettor realizes Judge won't be in there. DeGrom (2-0, 3.04 ERA) was shelled a bit in his Rangers debut on March 30 but is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 36 strikeouts, three walks and an opponents' batting average of .146 in his past four. Judge is 1-for-5 off him for his career with a double.

New York starts converted reliever Clarke Schmidt (0-2, 6.30). He has lasted five innings once in his five outings and allowed at least three earned runs in all five.

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