Aaron Judge Injury Update: Yankees Captain Remains in Holding Pattern

Aaron Judge remains in a holding pattern regarding his recovery from a first right rib fracture. The Yankees captain has not played since May 31, and his status for the 2026 season remains uncertain.

What happened?

Judge's recovery has been ongoing, with Dallas area specialist Dr. Gregory Pearl providing his medical opinion, which aligns with the Yankees team physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad. The team is taking a cautious approach, with Judge feeling improved but not yet cleared to progress beyond lower-body exercises.

Why it matters for Aaron Judge

The Yankees are prioritizing Judge's full recovery, with manager Aaron Boone citing concerns about any setbacks that could wipe out the 2026 season entirely. Judge needs to "get to a point where he's asymptomatic, where you ramp up more upper body stuff," Boone said.

What comes next?

Judge will undergo a third re-imaging at a date to be determined, and the team will continue to monitor his progress. The Yankees are taking a conservative route, with Judge's return to the lineup expected at some point this season.

In other news, Clarke Schmidt, a right-hander for the Yankees, threw live hitters on Saturday, facing teammates Anthony Volpe and Ali Sanchez. Schmidt, who underwent internal brace surgery, is now in an every four-to-five day throwing program and anticipates being able to pitch in the majors this season.

Schmidt threw just fastballs-sinkers, four-seamers, cutters-on Saturday, and the training staff instructed him to throttle back from throwing in the 94-mph range. "I want to kind of touch the gas pedal a little bit and then dial back down," Schmidt said.

Max Fried, a pitcher for the Yankees, came out of his initial minor league rehab start on Friday night in good shape. "Watched his whole outing. He felt really good," Boone said of Fried's three-inning, 52-pitch outing at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Fried is due to start again on Thursday, at which point the Yankees will evaluate if he's ready to join their rotation.

The Yankees are taking a cautious approach to Judge's recovery, with the team prioritizing his full recovery and potential return to the lineup this season. Judge's status will continue to be monitored, and the team will provide updates on his progress.

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