As the New York Yankees prepare to begin the second half, their outlook for the rest of the season is now thrown into question. The team received an Aaron Judge update on Friday, and it’s not the one they wanted to hear. After the latest round of imaging over the All-Star break, he is not yet cleared to resume baseball activities. According to Greg Joyce of the New York Post, Judge says the imaging showed some healing of his fractured rib, but there’s still “more to go,” and he’s waiting on clearance from another doctor to begin upper-body exercise.
There is no timeframe for the next round of imaging or for when Judge can fully resume baseball activities, Joyce reports. While Judge remains optimistic that he can return this season, saying “Definitely. I don’t see why I wouldn’t,” the lack of a timeline at this juncture adds another layer of uncertainty. Not only is it unknown when he will return, but it’s also unknown how much longer the Yankees can weather the storm without their best player.
Aaron Judge said his reimaging showed healing, still more to go, but they’re waiting to hear back from another doctor to see if he can start doing upper-body exercises.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) July 17, 2026
Aaron Judge Update: Return Date TBD After Imaging Shows Minimal Healing
While the Yankees appeared to be just fine at first despite missing the best hitter in the game, that feeling did not last long. As it has too many times in recent years, the June swoon reared its ugly head in the Bronx, and it carried over into July. After overcoming an early deficit to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, New York slipped back into second place after a long stretch of woeful offense and inconsistent pitching. However, their three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals to end the first half gave the team some momentum. Perhaps they can carry it over now with the break over.
An eight-time All-Star after being named to the AL squad but missing the game this season, Judge is the best anchor a team can have in its lineup. Without him in the mix, it seemed every Yankee forgot how to hit at the exact same time.
Judge was not off to the most spectacular start in 2026, in no small part due to playing through his injury for an extended period. In 59 games, he had a slash line of .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBI. Excluding his cup-of-coffee debut season of 2016, that is a career-low figure in batting average, his third-lowest on-base percentage, and his second-lowest slugging percentage. Still, his mere presence in the lineup generally tends to buoy the hitters around him. His absence makes the Yankees’ lineup much less intimidating than it otherwise would be.
Silver Linings
Judge’s absence is not the only issue, as Giancarlo Stanton remains sidelined, and several pitchers are on the injured list, including Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. However, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com provided some good news concerning each player on Friday. Fried will make his first rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday night, where his pitch count will be capped in the low 50s. Rodón threw 10 pitches from the mound on Thursday as he works his way back from elbow inflammation. Stanton has resumed running in hopes of returning from a calf strain. In another bit of good news, Clarke Schmidt will face live hitters for the first time since his Tommy John surgery last season.
Additional #Yankees injury updates —
Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation) threw 10 pitches from a mound on Thursday.
Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) has resumed outdoor running.
Clarke Schmidt (rehab from Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to face hitters for the first…— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 17, 2026
The Last Word
Friday’s Aaron Judge update was far from ideal. The hope was that Judge would have made more progress in his recovery, and that a firmer timeline could be established for his return. Judge, the Yankees, and their fans were let down on both counts. Until his return is in sight, the Yankees will have to find ways to win baseball games without their superstar and stay afloat in the AL East race. While they remain in a good position for a Wild Card spot, they learned the hard way last season that finishing in first place is essential, especially if you come face-to-face with a division rival in the Division Series.
The all-important second half begins on Friday night in the Bronx as the Yankees face off against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Will the Judge-less Yankees be up to the task against baseball’s best team? Whether they are or not, these three games should provide a good barometer for where the Bronx Bombers stand.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
