It's no secret that the New York Yankees are desperately missing Aaron Judge right now.
The two-time reigning AL MVP winner got off to another strong start in 2026, slashing .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and a 150 wRC+ in 59 games. But Judge wasn't showing the same level of dominance from the past two seasons and eventually fell into a deep slump; it was later revealed he tried to play through a fractured right rib, prompting the Yankees to place him on the 10-day injured list.
Judge last played on May 31, when the Bronx Bombers had a 36-23 record. Since then, the Yankees have gone 14-19 and their offense took a massive nosedive. Although still firmly in playoff contention, they trail the first-place Tampa Bay Rays by five games in the AL East.
With the Yankees' lineup struggling so mightily over the past three weeks, it's clear that they need Judge back to make any noise down the stretch. Fortunately, they could have an idea of when their captain could return.
Aaron Judge Set for Re-Imaging
On Thursday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman announced that Judge will have his fractured rib re-imaged during the All-Star break next week. Depending on the results, the Yankees could potentially map out a timeline for Judge to work his way back to the field.
The initial expectation was for Judge to return in early to mid-August, and he would be re-imaged after four-to-six weeks. The 34-year-old slugger was officially placed on the IL on June 5, so his re-imaging will take place during the sixth week since then.
According to Cashman, the Yankees do not expect Judge's injury to be completely healed at this point. However, if there is noteworthy improvement, Judge can begin to ramp up his rehab, particularly with upper-body workouts.
"I think we’re anticipating and hopeful that it’s showing the healing process," Cashman said to the media.
With Judge still out, the Yankees are continuing to rely on Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to carry the offense. But only Rice has broken out of his slump, as Bellinger and Chisholm are still struggling immensely lately. Paul Goldschmidt is hitless in his last 34 at-bats, while Austin Wells carries an abhorrent .148/.243/.225 slash line in 62 games this season.
After concluding a four-game series against the Rays today, the Yankees will finish the first half of the season with a three-game series against the Washington Nationals this weekend.
