Just when it seemed like the New York Yankees' season was getting back on track...
Assuming that the New York Yankees make the postseason, it sounds like AL MVP frontrunner Aaron Judge will spend more time in the dugout than he’d likely prefer.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told WFAN on Tuesday morning that he’s skeptical that Judge, who recently had an IL stint with an elbow injury, will return to “throwing like he normally does” this season. Judge has exclusively DH’d since being activated off the IL earlier this month.
“We’re trying to get through where he can let it go with ease and be able to protect himself,” Boone said.
Judge entered Tuesday’s opener against the Tampa Bay Rays batting .333 with 39 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a league-leading 1.134 OPS. He’s already accumulated 6.9 bWAR and is on pace to lead the majors in bWAR for the third time in four years.
However, if Judge can’t return to the field, the Yankees face a significant Giancarlo Stanton-sized issue. Stanton didn’t start any of the Yankees’ three games against the St. Louis Cardinals this past weekend, partly because of lower-body soreness. Prior to Judge’s injury, Stanton hadn’t played the outfield since September 2023.
Stanton has played 32 innings across five games in right field so far, though he’s only completed one of those games. The five-time All-Star is hitting .299 with 12 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .953 OPS in 162 plate appearances.
The 67-57 Yankees currently hold the AL’s top Wild Card spot, but they still trail the Toronto Blue Jays by five games in the AL East.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Category: Baseball
