Aaron Judge's Return Date Predicted as Yankees Struggle Without Star Outfielder

Aaron Judge's return to the Yankees' lineup is predicted for around September 1, as the team struggles to find offense without their star outfielder. Judge has been sidelined since early June with a right rib stress fracture.

What happened?

New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge has been sidelined since early June with a right rib stress fracture. Judge told reporters on Friday that rib re-imaging showed "some progress, some healing going on, but not fully healed." He is waiting on one more doctor to take a look at it and see how they progress forward in the next couple of weeks.

Why it matters for Aaron Judge

Judge's injury has had a significant impact on the Yankees' performance. Since he last played on May 31, the team has gone 18-19, largely due to a lack of offensive production. During that span, New York ranked 22nd in runs (157) and 23rd in wRC+ (93). If Judge had been healthy during the Yankees' recent skid, there's a good chance the team would have been in a much better spot.

What comes next?

The Yankees are beginning a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. The team is still holding onto a second-best record in the AL at 54-42, but they trail the Tampa Bay Rays by 2.5 games in the AL East standings. Despite their struggles, the Yankees are arguably the best team in the AL, with the best run differential in the league at +91.

Judge, a three-time AL MVP, has yet to accomplish one notable thing in his career: winning a World Series. For fans of the Yankees, a franchise with the most World Series titles (27) of any MLB team, that's all that matters. Even without Judge, the Yankees are still a force to be reckoned with, and their fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the lineup.

The Yankees' star outfielder has been a key contributor to the team's success, posting 2.1 fWAR and a .248/.375/.533 (149 wRC+) slash line with 17 home runs and 38 RBI before landing on the IL. Since making his MLB debut with New York in 2016, Judge has posted 63.7 fWAR and a .291/.411/.611 (176 wRC+) slash line. Even if his career ended today, Judge would most likely make the Hall of Fame.

What's next for Aaron Judge?

Judge's return to the Yankees' lineup is still uncertain, but the team is hopeful that he will be back playing soon. The Aarons, Judge and Boone, wouldn't venture a guess as to when Judge could be back playing. However, knowing how long a somewhat similar injury took last time, MLB insider Jon Heyman took a shot and guessed that Judge will return "sometime around September 1.