New York Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge’s return to the lineup for the final stretch of the regular season can’t come soon enough.
Finishing up a six-game road trip on Sunday in San Diego, the Yankees are looking at a homestand in the Bronx that will have them playing nine games in as many days.
As the Major League Baseball season enters its final three weeks, New York will be playing 13 of their final 19 games at Yankee Stadium.
Three games will be with their East division rival Tampa Bay Rays, who are holding down first place over the Yankees, with a four-game lead.
Although New York is on solid footing for postseason play as a Wild Card participant with American League clubs, winning their division can’t be ruled out.
The difference between winning the division or backing into the postseason as one of the three Wild Card clubs could be Judge playing back in right field or being penciled as Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone’s everyday designated hitter.
Judge has proven over his 11 years in New York that he is a difference maker.
However, the eight-time all-star hasn’t competed in a game since May 31.
It was in April, during a game in Houston against the Astros, that the 6-foot-7-inch outfielder suffered a right rib stress fracture while diving for a fly ball.
On June 5, Judge was placed on the injured list.
Ramping up his on-field activities in recent weeks, pointing to a return to the active roster, Judge began hitting balls off a tee, and his rehabilitation process progressed this weekend to hitting in San Diego’s Petco Park’s indoor batting cages.
With the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets in the Bronx this coming week, Judge hopes to return to normal baseball activities.
“I’m mad how long it has taken,” Judge told reporters on Friday in San Diego. “It is what it is. I wish it was real two months ago, but we’re at this point [now]. We’re getting close. I can’t wait to be back out there.”
Although the Yankees haven’t officially ruled out Judge being dispatched to either their Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders this coming week, or Double-A Somerset (N.J.) Patriots, it may be the route decided on.
The former are on the road against the Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings, and the Patriots are home for six games with the Hartford (Conn.) Yard Goats.
Getting his timing back in his swing and having throwing drills to bring back accuracy and strength in his arm couldn’t hurt Judge’s game.
On Tuesday, with the Yankees in Anaheim for a three-game set with the Angels, Boone sounded optimistic that his superstar outfielder was close to being back in Yankees pinstripes.
“He’s here to kind of continue to ramp up baseball activities,” Boone said during Monday’s pregame media availability. “We’re getting closer, but we feel good about where he’s at.”
With the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 this week, Judge being back on the field on Friday at Yankee Stadium against the crosstown Mets could provide an even greater emotional lift to his teammates.
Being limited so far to 59 games and 214 at-bats this season, he has publicly come out against going down to the minors before joining his teammates in the Bronx; however, it probably is a sound route for even a three-time MVP to gain his game rhythm back.
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees signs autographs before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2026. (Harry How/Getty Images)
The Yankees have held their own despite missing Judge from their everyday lineup, along with their other long-ball threat Giancarlo Stanton, out of action for long periods this season due to calf strains, and limited to 24 games.
As important as Judge is to the Yankees’ offense, the 2025 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are experiencing the same void in their lineup with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani on the shelf.
Last pitched on Wednesday, Ohtani is listed by the Dodgers as day-to-day due to left knee issues and other lingering injuries.
Like Judge, Ohtani can swing a game’s momentum with one swat of his bat. His pitching also allows the Dodgers to dominate opponents, while filling the designated hitter’s role simultaneously.
Both players are being counted on heavily to take their clubs deep into October baseball.
Judge, 34, who after the 2022 season signed a free-agent, nine-year contract to remain in New York, seems physically and emotionally prepared to reclaim his role as leader of the Yankees.
Whether it’s through a minor league visit or straight to 161st Street in the Bronx, the long wait seems to have dwindled to this week, and not a day too soon for the Yankees.
