Aaron Judge finally made his highly anticipated return to the field in the series against the Colorado Rockies, which ultimately ended with a victory for the New York Yankees. Despite saying that he felt good physically, it seems that Judge was not particularly pleased with manager Aaron Boone’s decision to pull him from the game in the sixth inning.
“I feel great, I played half a game,” the No. 99 revealed to the media after the game. His frustration over not being able to finish the game kept him from fully appreciating the work his teammates put in to secure the victory at Yankee Stadium.
Judge, who said he was “not happy” with Boone’s decision, praised Heliot Ramos for his performance after entering the game: “That’s where my guy [Heliot] Ramos came in and picked me up and hit a nice little three-run homer there to put the game out.”
The 2026 MLB season is entering a decisive stage, and Judge believes the Yankees have everything it takes to win it all. The question now is whether Boone will give his star more playing time in an effort to make his team even stronger.
“I feel great, I played half a game”
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) September 9, 2026
Aaron Judge talked about being “not happy” about Aaron Boone taking him out after the 6th inning
“That’s where my guy [Heliot] Ramos came in and picked me up and hit a nice little three-run homer there to put the game out” pic.twitter.com/wP3Obcc2Ca
Aaron Judge’s numbers in his return to the field
After missing 84 games with a broken rib, Judge finally stepped back onto the diamond against the Rockies, but his bat needed a little time to catch up to speed. Batting third and starting in right field, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a flyout before taking an early exit as part of his planned workload management.
While the personal stat line wasn’t exactly explosive, his presence alone gave New York a spark, and the Yanks still managed to lock up a 5-3 win to secure their 34th straight winning season. He might be a bit rusty after the long layoff, but just seeing No.99 back in the lineup is huge for the Bronx Bombers down the stretch.
Aaron Judge receives a standing ovation in his return to Yankee Stadium pic.twitter.com/trSIM7AsCx
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) September 8, 2026
What’s next for the Yankees?
As the stretch run heats up, the Bronx Bombers sit at 82-62, sitting in second place in the competitive AL East with just 18 games left on the regular season slate. The upcoming stretch kicks off right at Yankee Stadium, where they’re currently wrapping up their series against the Colorado Rockies through September 10th before hosting a cross-town Subway Series clash against the New York Mets from September 11th to 13th.
Immediately after that high-energy home stand, the Yankees head out on the road to Minneapolis for a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field from September 14th through the 16th. Every single game counts big time right now as New York looks to secure its spot in October baseball.
