Brian Cashman excited everyone in the Bronx by stating that Aaron Judge will slowly begin working his way back with light activities. For the New York Yankees, it will be important for their biggest star to return at full strength with the postseason in mind; otherwise, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the Bronx Bombers will hardly be contenders.
“Judge spent more than a month playing through pain in that rib until it simply became unbearable,” the reporter wrote. “And though it’s safe to say Judge will find a way to return this season, it’s also fair to wonder how healed he’ll be.”
He also added: “But this team lives and dies with Aaron James Judge. They’re probably not going anywhere if he’s not close to prime form.”
While it has not yet been revealed exactly when the right fielder will be back on the field, the anticipation of seeing him once again at Yankee Stadium is very high. Will Judge finally be the key for Aaron Boone’s team to make a major push?
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees sits in the dugout.
Judge’s numbers before his injury
Before his May injury forced him to the sidelines, Aaron Judge was putting together another strong campaign for the New York Yankees, compiling 17 home runs, 38 RBIs, and a .907 OPS over 59 appearances. Operating as the anchor of New York’s offense, the three-time AL MVP paired his dangerous power display with a .248 batting average, consistently delivering high-impact run production through the first two months of the season.
The Bronx Bombers’ struggles without Judge
Judge’s absence has triggered a steep drop-off across Aaron Boone’s offense, exposing severe depth issues in the middle of New York’s lineup. With Judge active, the Yankees averaged 5.17 runs per game while posting a .770 team OPS and a .243 batting average.
Without their captain, run production has plummeted to 3.88 runs per game, accompanied by a sharp decline in overall efficiency—slumping to a .219 team batting average, .283 OBP, and .669 OPS. This offensive stagnation has directly impacted the team’s results, as New York went from a .610 winning percentage (36–23) with Judge to playing .500 baseball (28–28) in his absence.
New York has the postseason in sight
Holding a 66–52 record and sitting second in the AL East—5.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays while occupying the top American League Wild Card spot—the Yankees’ path to securing a postseason berth hinges on stabilizing their depleted offense until Aaron Judge returns from the injured list.
To maintain its playoff positioning or mount a division run over the final seven weeks of the regular season, New York must rely on recent trade deadline additions and middle-of-the-order contributors to generate run support, while leaning heavily on rotation consistency through a crucial upcoming stretch of divisional and intraleague matchups.
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