“[The Yankees] play the Mets on Sept. 11-13, it’s not an unimportant weekend for a variety of reasons, including the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the Yankees and Mets are playing that Friday. If I had to set an over under, I would set it the day before against Colorado on September 10th,” Joel Sherman stated on the New York Post’s Pinstripe Post podcast.

Most reports surrounding Judge point to September as the month when the star outfielder is finally activated from the 60-day injured list (IL). Thus, the Subway Series against the Mets at home from Sept. 11-13 could make a lot of sense for Judge’s first game back in MLB action. The three-time MVP hasn’t played since May 31.

Circling the series opener against the Mets on Sept. 11 for Judge’s long-awaited return might be a deliberate decision by the Yankees, adding yet another layer to an already emotionally charged fixture for both teams and the league as a whole. Judge could be back at the plate a day earlier, however.

NY Yankees could use Judge as DH

As suggested by Sherman, Judge could be activated from the IL and serve as the designated hitter for the series finale against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 10. That way, the Yankees could get Judge back in action while avoiding a setback by keeping him out of the garden.

It would be fitting. In fact, it’s almost expected at this point. Not that Judge will return as a DH on Sept. 10, but that he will be exclusively a batter in his first game back from a stress fracture in his first right rib. Just like Aaron Boone disclosed Ryan Weathers’ potential new role, Judge could have a temporary new job, too.

That was the case when Judge was activated from a 10-day IL stint last season. When Judge returned from a flexor tendon strain in his right elbow in August 2025, his first lineup appearance was as a DH, and that followed only a 10-day absence. Judge has been sidelined for 85 days—and counting—since being placed on the IL this time around, so it’s safe to assume the Yankees will be even more cautious in his first game back.

Judge expected back soon

Whether it will be against the Mets, Rockies, or a different team entirely, on Sept. 10, 11, or another date with little to no special meaning remains to be seen. One thing is clear, though: barring a disaster, Judge will be back this season.

Given how this year has gone for the Pinstripers on the medical front, that’s all the fans in the Bronx want to hear. They will wait for Judge to return as long as it takes. As long as he’s back and has some games under his belt by October, the Bronx Bombers can afford to stay patient.

“He is running and doing strength exercises, responding well,” Boone revealed during his press conference. “The biggest thing for him now is kind of build up the body, to get back and play in shape where he wasn’t allowed to do much for that first month, specially.”

The question from the media about Judge’s return was inevitable. Boone made his stance clear, expressing confidence that No. 99 will return before the end of the season: “Yeah.”

Judge’s return is eagerly anticipated by Jazz Chisholm Jr., among others, who said the Bronx Bombers will get a huge boost once their players on the IL are back and available. The Yankees are slowly turning their focus toward the postseason, dreaming of having a team capable of competing at the highest level.

When was Aaron Judge’s last game with the Yankees?

Aaron Judge’s last outing with the Bronx Bombers came on May 31, 2026, during a wild 13–8 road win against the Oakland Athletics. He had a solid afternoon, going 1-for-4 with an RBI single to help lock down the victory. That ended up being his 59th and final appearance of the 2026 season before landing on the IL for the remainder of the summer.

Judge’s return is a must for the Pinstripes

Before shutting it down, Judge was putting up solid numbers, batting .248 with 17 homers, 38 RBIs, and 43 runs scored. Replacing that kind of pop was never gonna be easy, and the Yankees definitely felt his absence—slumping to a 37–33 record without the Captain anchored in the middle of their lineup.

With just 34 games remaining, Aaron Boone could certainly use the return of his biggest star to the starting lineup. Fighting to take the AL East, currently led by the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees need all the firepower they can get to make it happen.

This isn’t the first time Boone addressed Judge’s injury in the 2026 MLB season, nor will it be the last. Judge keeps inching closer to his long-awaited return to action, but some more hurdles have yet to be cleared. Regardless, the Yankees‘ manager had an encouraging update for fans.

“Aaron Judge started hitting off the tee today, Boone said,” as reported by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic on his X account. It may not feel like much, but these are more small steps in the right direction. By themselves, they’re virtually irrelevant, but when added to all the progress Judge has made as of late, they certainly paint an exciting picture of the near future for the Bronx Bombers.

NY Yankees look different without Judge

Much has been said about the Yankees’ batters and their struggles ever since Judge was placed on the 60-day injured list (IL). Designated hitter Rice has perhaps been the main target of that narrative, and for good reason.

However, the drop in production isn’t exclusive to the batting order and affects the team as a whole. Since June—Judge has been sidelined since May 31—Boone‘s Yankees (71-55) are 35-32.

Without Judge’s consistency at the plate, the Yankees have struggled to string together wins and have performed in fits and starts rather than consistently. It’s easy to see why, especially as New York is also without Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, leaving the offense depleted.

NY Yankees weathered the storm

Although the Bronx Bombers would like to get better and more consistent production from their lineup outside of Judge and Bellinger, they can’t complain, either. Other clubs have watched their seasons spiral out of control at the first sign of adversity.

New York has been under duress all year long, yet it remains in a playoff spot and is a legitimate contender come playoff time, when Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton should all be fully healthy.

Getting positive updates on Judge on a daily basis only adds to the excitement in the Bronx. Indeed, the Pinstripers have been through a lot, and they aren’t in the clear just yet, but the worst may be over now.

Coming off yet another hitless outing for Rice—his fourth in the Yankees last five games—Boone was asked about the slump the 27-year-old designated hitter is going through. Especially ever since Judge was assigned to the 60-Day Injured List (IL). Still, the manager urged Rice to figure things out as the Bronx Bombers gear for the home stretch of the MLB campaign.

“I do feel like [Rice] had a few games in there where he really started to swing the bat well, and wasn’t really getting rewarded for. He’s been a tick off now,” Boone said during an appearance on Talkin’ Yanks. “I think the easy thing is to say that the supporting cast is not there. They pitch how they pitch you.”

Through his last five games, Rice has only one hit in 19 at-bats. The one ball he made solid contact with was a tie-breaking 10th-inning home run that allowed the Yankees to avoid a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays. It came shortly after he made a mistake on a ground ball that eventually led to the game-tying run and sent the game to extra innings.

Rice responded but couldn’t keep it up for NY Yankees

Thus, maybe Rice needs some sort of adversity to respond to. Boone’s statement may not be a matter of throwing his DH under the bus, but rather lighting a fire under him. Only time will tell how Rice reacts, though.

However, there’s reason for fans to hold out hope, especially after Boone addressed Judge’s return during the 2026 MLB season. Considering how different Rice’s batting was when Judge was healthy and how much it has dropped since his injury, getting No. 99 back in the lineup could help Rice come alive.

On that note, while the numbers say one thing and illustrate a clear point, Boone doesn’t necessarily believe in them and doesn’t think Rice’s drop in production has much to do with Judge being absent.

“[Indeed], if you’ve got a better lineup, you’re scoring more, so the pitcher is in trouble more so there’s more pressure on the pitcher. That part of it is very real. That’s where the thing is, not so much that they’re pitching him different because [Aaron] Judge is not there. The book is the book. Guys get pitched how they get pitched,” Boone concluded.

Rice’s numbers with and without Judge

Through the first three months of the season, when Judge was healthy enough to play for the Bronx Bombers, Rice batted .321, along with a .418 OBP, .617 SLG and 1.035 OPS. Things headed south ever since Judge was sidelined with a stress fracture in his right first rib on May 31.

From June onward, Rice’s batting average dropped to .187, while he posted a .289 OBP, .398 SLG and .687 OPS. Despite a moderate bounce-back in July, Rice’s overall numbers have plummeted since Judge went down with the injury. In August, Rice has the second-worst batting average (.096) on the Yankees among players with at least five games played, ahead of only Heliot Ramos.

Considering Rice is the team’s designated hitter, his recent production is gut-punching. Rice’s primary job is to provide offense, but the plate has turned into a house of horrors for him as of late.

“I’m hopeful he’s back (before the season ends),” the manager revealed. “The timeline is gonna be what it is, when he is ready to be in games and stuff. You hope it’s as many as possible just to get those reps and kinda in the flow of things, but the body will determine all that.”

Judge is inching closer to a return from injury, and excitement in the Bronx is growing rapidly at the prospect of seeing him back with the Pinstripes. Now, it will be a matter of seeing whether he can return within the expected timeline.

Giancarlo Stanton also wants to return

Giancarlo Stanton is another player currently sidelined with the Yankees due to an injury, and Boone is hopeful of having him back on the field soon. “Just when he is in the lineup or taking rehab at bats, anything.

“He is definitely close at this point a little bit of a roster situation too. Do you wait until September 1? Those are all things we’ll see.” Stanton suffered a right calf strain and has been sidelined since late April.

What’s next for the Yankees?

The New York Yankees are currently wrapping up an away division series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Following this road trip, they return home to Yankee Stadium for a pair of high-stakes homestands, starting with a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (August 21–23), followed immediately by another three-game clash against the Houston Astros (August 25–27).

“Aaron Judge will begin his hitting progression this week, Boone said,” as reported by Chris Kirschner from The Athletic on X. Although Boone had hinted at the Yankees’ concerns regarding Judge with an uncertain timeline, it seems he is making good progress.

Recently, Judge played catch before New York‘s games against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. “[Judge has been] doing swing-related stuff in the pool,” Boone admitted, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

NY Yankees confident Judge is trending closer to return

Boone’s admission indicates that Judge’s latest improvements aren’t out of the blue and are instead the result of plenty of work being done behind the scenes. That should also serve as a comforting message for fans worried about rushing Judge back, potentially putting him in harm’s way and leading to an even worse setback.

Of course, there’s always a risk, but it seems the odds are slim, and the Bronx Bombers are confident Judge is on the right track. There’s still a ways to go, though. Judge will likely be headed for a rehab assignment at some point, and just as Cody Bellinger recently urged Boone not to rush his time in the minor leagues, Judge should also be brought along slowly.

Judge’s numbers in 2026

So far this season, Judge has appeared in only 59 games. He’s been out and on the 60-day injured list (IL) since late May. Still, his numbers before suffering a stress fracture in his right rib have fans in the Bronx excited about what the Yankees could do when Judge is finally back.

Through the 2026 MLB season, Judge has tallied 43 runs, 53 hits and 17 home runs. Moreover, he’s batting .248, with a .375 on-base percentage (OBP), a .533 slugging percentage (SLG) and a .908 OPS. While crucial to the Yankees’ offensive production, it may be wiser to preserve Judge for as long as possible and ensure he is fully healthy come playoff time.

Of course, New York risks falling behind in the postseason race as its batting order struggles day in and day out, but projections suggest it would take a disaster for the Pinstripers to miss the playoffs. It’s a risky strategy, and crazier things have happened, but the Bronx Bombers remain confident they can hold things down while Judge focuses on his health.

“Aaron Boone said a timeline of a month ‘could be’ in play, though nothing is set in stone,” as reported by Gary Phillips from New York Daily News Sports on X.

The Yankees‘ manager avoided setting a formal one-month window for Judge’s return but did hint at it. It would be on par with the initial reports regarding the star slugger’s injury and projected comeback. Many reports suggested Judge would be back in mid-September, and Boone‘s timeline—uncertain and tentative as it was—would put him on track for that return.

NY Yankees are missing Judge

The Pinstripers desperately need Judge back. As of late, the at-bats have turned dry, leading to Gerrit Cole urging the offense to step up its production amid the absences. The recent hardships have also led to a mea culpa, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. got brutally honest about his struggles.

So far, the self-criticism has yet to translate into better results, though. As much as the Yankees yearn for Judge’s return—along with Cody Bellinger’s and Giancarlo Stanton’s—they know better than to rush their stars back, and Boone made that clear as well.

“We expect him back, but we’re in the early stages of baseball activity,” Boone stated, via USA Today, about Judge’s injury recovery. “Hopefully things continue to go well.”

NY Yankees won’t rush Judge

Timelines aren’t entirely solid, least of all those announced as tentatively as Judge’s latest one, and if the player isn’t fully healthy by the time the original target date arrives, New York will take as much time as he needs.

The Bronx Bombers themselves may not have that much time amid a heated postseason race, but that’s a different story. Whether it could come back to bite them or not, Boone and his staff have made their preference clear.

Regardless of what happens next, the Yankees must lie in the bed they’ve made and hope for a good night’s rest, even in the City That Never Sleeps.

Greg Joyce of The New York Post also made it clear that Judge’s recovery process is progressing as expected: “Still has a ways to go in building up to full baseball activities, but he has now at least started that process.”

The Bronx Bombers are looking to step on the gas down the final stretch of the MLB regular season and enter the postseason in the best possible shape. Can they have No. 99 back in the lineup soon?

Aaron Boone misses Aaron Judge on the field

Before being sidelined with a stress fracture in his right rib, Aaron Judge was putting together another strong campaign for the Yankees, posting a .248 batting average, 17 home runs, and 38 RBIs across 214 at-bats. However, the team’s offensive production has plummeted since losing its captain’s presence at the plate.

Without Judge’s elite power and ability to drive in runs, the Yankees’ lineup has struggled to generate run support, forcing the pitching staff into low-scoring games as overall team statistics and scoring averages have taken a noticeable hit down the stretch.

What’s next for the Yankees?

Starting August 15, manager Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees face a crucial stretch of divisional and high-stakes matchups. They first wrap up their road series in Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays (August 15–16) at Rogers Centre, followed immediately by a three-game divisional clash on the road against the Baltimore Orioles (August 18–20) at Camden Yards.

Returning home to the Bronx, Boone‘s squad will then launch a nine-game homestand beginning with a rematch series against the Toronto Blue Jays (August 21–23) at Yankee Stadium.

With the trio of Bellinger, Stanton, and Judge out until further notice, the Yankees appear stuck in a Groundhog Day-like fate. Their latest outings look virtually indistinguishable from one another. New York’s pitching rotation looks dominant all game long, but the offense remains anemic, and eventually, a defensive breakdown decides the game. Sick and tired of watching this scenario unfold and determined not to let it linger any longer, Cole sent a strong message.

“We’re having a good time pitching and playing close games. Certainly we want to blow guys out and secure as many wins as possible,” Cole admitted, via the New York Post. “At the same time, we’re throwing the ball well, we’re playing good defense and we’re hanging in a lot of games, giving ourselves a chance to win.”

Cole calls out the offense

Obviously, Cole didn’t go as far as to throw his teammates under the bus. He didn’t need to, he still got his message across. It’s clear the subpar batting is costing New York in its race for postseason baseball, while the strong pitching is the main reason the Yankees are even in these games.

This topic is nothing new. Recently, manager Aaron Boone warned Jazz Chisholm Jr.—arguably the most disappointing Yankees batter during the 2026 MLB season—and even Chisholm Jr. was brutally honest about his at-bat struggles. As much as fans in the Bronx may want to use Jazz as a scapegoat, the problems in the batting order extend far beyond Chisholm Jr.

Clearly, and reasonably so, being without three of their most efficient and powerful bats (Bellinger, Judge, and Stanton) hurts. That’s still not an excuse strong enough for Boone and company to be complacent with the recent batting numbers. Empty at-bats and quiet innings continue to ruin otherwise great days and nights on the mound, and at some point, enough has to be enough, even without the three stars.

NY Yankees letting elite pitching go to waste

Cole didn’t name names or point fingers across the dugout, but he delivered a wake-up call regardless. The Yankees boast a Cy Young Award favorite in Cam Schlittler and arguably the best rotation in the American League.

Still, they have yet to firmly establish themselves as a playoff team in 2026. That’s mainly on the offense, as its production leaves much to be desired and has the red-hot pitchers scratching their heads.

However, Bellinger continues to prove the Yankees’ initial timeline wrong as he is well ahead of schedule. It seems Bellinger will be the first of the trio to return to MLB action. Meanwhile, Stanton may only be a step away from returning and has started running bases, albeit to a limited extent—which Bellinger hasn’t done yet. Regardless, manager Boone believes Bellinger remains ahead of the rest of the injured stars.

“[Bellinger hasn’t started base-running yet], but Bellinger feels closer [to returning], though,” Boone admitted during an appearance on Talkin’ Yanks podcast. “He’s doing agility. I would expect that intensity to be pretty good this week. I would think we would get him into a game or two before bringing him.”

NY Yankees are on a roll

Injury-riddled or not, with or without Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton, the Bronx Bombers are putting up a resistance and staying afloat in the AL East race. New York is still several games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the division lead and a spot in the American League Division Series, but the Yankees are still ahead of the Boston Red Sox in second place.

Moreover, the positive news come in bunches. Boone revealed important progress in Judge’s injury recovery, which only adds to the hype in the Bronx as the postseason draws closer, and the Pinstripers appear to be right on track.

NY Yankees’ lineup came to life

On top of it all, the starting rotation of Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole is on a tear despite Carlos Rodon’s absence. Even Ryan Weathers is putting pressure on Boone to give him an even bigger role.

The offense has come alive after some rough outings, and Trent Grisham’s surge is a big reason, as is the immediate impact from rookie George Lombard Jr. Long story short, the Yankees are clicking, even without arguably their best hitters in Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton.

All that matters, however, is how the Bronx Bombers do in the postseason, and fans will have no fond memories of this 2026 campaign if it ends in the same old shaggy-dog story. The Yankees are well aware of that. And that’s another reason why Boone and company won’t rush any of his injured stars back onto the plate.

“Aaron Boone said ‘probably’ when asked if Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton will be back before Aaron Judge returns,” Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported on his X account.

In some ways, Boone’s update shouldn’t come as a surprise. Stanton is reportedly only one step away from being activated and has run the bases recently, while Bellinger continues to prove the Yankees’ original timeline wrong by staying ahead of schedule in his recovery.

NY Yankees await returns

Although the Yankees are managing to stay afloat in the American League Wild Card race, the Bronx Bombers could be walking into trouble, especially if their offensive struggles continue and the Pinstripers remain without Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton.

Asked when to expect the three key injured players back, Boone suggested the order of their returns is trending toward Bellinger, Stanton, and Judge. It makes sense, considering Bellinger has participated in batting practice recently, Stanton is back to running the bases in practice, and Judge has yet to return to baseball activities and was only recently cleared for “light activity.”

Where Bellinger and Stanton stand

During an appearance on Talkin’ Yanks, Boone commented that Bellinger isn’t “too far off,” but is dealing with some tightness. The Yankees won’t take any risks with the three-time All-Star outfielder, so Bellinger won’t be rushed back.

As for Stanton, Boone admitted there’s a scenario in which the 36-year-old requires a rehab assignment, such as the one Luis Gil is going through as he slowly prepares for his return to MLB action.