Much to the dismay of MLB fans around the country, the New York Yankees have spent a good portion of the 2026 season without Aaron Judge.
Judge, a three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star, has been sidelined since May 31 due to a fractured rib. The future Hall of Famer was batting .248 this season with 17 home runs and 38 RBI. Although the Yankees have said that he's expected to return this season, fans in the Bronx are starting to lose hope.
The Yankees certainly scared their fans this Saturday when they moved Judge to the 60-day injured list. However, this was essentially nothing more than paperwork since his IL stint dates back to early June.
© Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images.
So what's the latest on Judge? He spoke to reporters while at Yankee Stadium this Friday. The 6-foot-7 slugger said there's been "some progress," but it's still unclear when he'll be back on the diamond.
"So we're still waiting on one more doctor to take a look at it, kind of see how we progress forward the next couple weeks," Judge said. "But definitely a positive sign that we're seeing some healing."
Judge added that he expects to play again this season.
"I don't see why I wouldn't," Judge said.
Fans are convinced Aaron Judge is out for the year.
Even though Judge keeps saying he'll return at some point this season, Yankees fans are convinced he'll be sidelined until 2026.
"Aaron Judge will be 36 the next time he takes an at bat for the Yankees. Brian Cashman wasted the greatest hitter of our generations career," one fan said.
"I think if he still isn’t going through baseball activities in 2 weeks he isn’t returning at all," a second fan wrote on X.
"Just shut him down for the rest of the season and get the surgery done," another fan said.
The Yankees (54-43) are currently in second place in the AL East. While they've held down the fort without Judge, they'll need him back in order to compete for a World Series title.
