New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is experiencing signs of healing from a stress fracture in his first right rib, though the injury remains significant enough to keep him sidelined from all baseball activities. Following re-imaging performed during the All-Star break, the team confirmed that while progress has been made, the 34-year-old outfielder is not yet cleared to resume throwing, hitting, or overhead lifting.
Current Medical Status and Next Steps
The latest imaging, conducted on Wednesday, was reviewed by Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. The organization is now waiting for further guidance from Dr. Gregory Pearl, a Dallas-based specialist, to determine the next phase of the recovery plan.
There’s some progress, some healing going on, but it’s not fully healed,
Judge said Friday at Yankee Stadium. We’re still waiting on one more doctor to take a look at it and see how we progress forward the next couple of weeks, but it’s definitely a positive sign that we’re seeing some healing.
Because the injury is not fully resolved, the medical staff has restricted Judge to lower-body conditioning and neck exercises. According to a Yankees spokesperson, the team plans to implement a structured rehab progression followed by additional imaging before allowing any resumption of baseball-specific movements.
Injury Origin and Impact
Judge traces the injury to a diving attempt on April 26 against the Houston Astros. He continued to play through the pain for over a month before the discomfort became debilitating during a late May series against the Athletics in Sacramento. He has not appeared in a game since May 31.
Reflecting on the recovery process, Judge noted that while he is feeling 10 times better
than he did during the initial weeks of the injury, he remains frustrated by the enforced inactivity. That was my big complaint: If I’m feeling better, how about we start moving?
Judge said. But I think they just don’t want to start adding baseball activities and all of a sudden we have a setback that pushes everything back.
Prior to the injury, Judge maintained a .248/.375/.533 slash line with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs across 59 games this season.
The Team’s Competitive Outlook
The Yankees have struggled to maintain momentum in their captain’s absence, entering the second half of the season with an 18-19 record in games played without him. While the team remains optimistic about his eventual return, the uncertainty surrounding his timeline complicates organizational planning.
Manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Judge’s eventual comeback, though he acknowledged the difficulty of setting a firm date. I feel good about the fact that he’ll be back, but it’s just a matter of when,
Boone said. Obviously, we all want Aaron Judge back in the lineup.
When asked if he is confident he will play again this season, Judge was definitive. Yeah, definitely,
he said. I don’t see why I wouldn’t.
Potential Return Timeline
While no official return date has been set, the following projections and considerations define the current situation for the Yankees:
| Status Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Best-Case Return | Mid-to-late August |
| Alternative Possibility | September |
| Current Restrictions | No upper-body or overhead lifting |
| Rehab Expectations | Judge indicated he hopes to avoid extensive rehab games |
The team is currently navigating the impact of the injury on their broader roster management, as the uncertainty of Judge’s return timeline serves as a primary variable for general manager Brian Cashman ahead of the trade deadline. Despite the setback, Judge remains focused on rejoining the team, stating, That’s why I’m here; that’s why I get paid, to play big games for the Yankees.
