New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was cleared for light rehab work on Wednesday after medical imaging showed improvement on his stress fracture in his right first rib. Sidelined since May 31, Judge expressed strong confidence about returning to the lineup before the end of the season.
More than two months after suffering a stress fracture in his right first rib while diving for a ball in Houston on April 26, New York Yankees star Aaron Judge was cleared to resume light rehab work on Wednesday. Imaging taken on Tuesday revealed enough improvement for the three-time American League Most Valuable Player to begin running outdoors and performing upper-body resistance exercises at Yankee Stadium.
Judge was spotted before Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals stretching, jogging, and executing shuffle slides with a resistance band. While the activity marks his first significant physical milestone since going on the injured list on May 31, the outfielder acknowledged that he is still working through the pain of the injury.
“I’ve got a broken rib; you’re gonna feel it, but it’s healing up. That’s the progress we want to see so we can start doing some more and kind of testing and seeing where we’re at, because we’re running out of days. We’ve got 52 days left, 53 days left, so we’ve got to get back out there.”
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees outfielder
Rehab Progress and the Hitting Hurdle
Although Judge expressed certainty regarding his eventual return, he has not yet targeted a specific calendar date for rejoining the active roster. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that the outfielder has primarily handled treatment, movement drills, and stationary biking over the past two months before advancing to running.
The next major test in Judge’s recovery will involve swinging a bat. Because hitting places intense rotational stress on the upper body, it represents the most demanding physical hurdle left in his rehab schedule.
“That’s the most violent of it all, more than running or lifting and stuff like that. So, yeah, definitely keep progressing. Everything’s feeling great, take another scan, see where it’s at. Hopefully adding hitting, throwing, all that down the road.”
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees outfielder
Before he begins swinging or taking fielding drills, Judge will likely require another round of medical scans to confirm continued bone healing. If he responds well to his current workload, team expectations are that he will advance to the next phase of his progression within the week.
Yankees Roster Moves and Division Chase
The Yankees have posted a 28-27 record since Judge last appeared in a game on May 31. During his absence, the club’s offense dipped significantly, ranking 27th in OPS at .671 and 26th in runs scored with 216 since June 1.
General manager Brian Cashman stated earlier in the week that he believed there was a high likelihood of Judge returning before the conclusion of the season. To bolster the lineup during the stretch run, New York acquired first baseman Luis García Jr. and left fielder Heliot Ramos before the trade deadline, while also promoting top prospect shortstop George Lombard Jr.
Judge remains optimistic about the team’s standing as they attempt to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East standings.
“I’ll be back this season. I don’t know why I wouldn’t be. That was always the plan, to come back sooner than later, definitely. I never had a thought of not playing this year.”
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees outfielder
In addition to Judge’s absence, the Yankees recently lost fellow All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger to a hamstring strain on July 26. Bellinger took batting practice on the field on Wednesday for the first time since his injury, signaling potential reinforcement for an outfield unit aiming to secure the division title.
