How long is Aaron Judge out? Latest news on Yankees superstar sidelined with stress fracture
How long is Aaron Judge out? Latest news on Yankees superstar sidelined with stress fracture originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Yankees are once again near the top of the standings in 2026, but they are currently dealing with an injury to their best player.
Three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge has been out of the lineup recently as the Yankees hosted the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians. Judge’s numbers are down compared to the past few years, but he is still one of the best hitters in the league and has been among the MLB leaders with 17 home runs.
While the Yankees are deep enough to handle Judge missing a few games, a longer absence would certainly impact New York’s quest to win the AL East. And on June 4, the club announced some tough news: Judge is set to be sidelined for a more extended period.
Here’s the latest on Judge’s injury.
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How long Aaron Judge out?
On Thursday, the Yankees announced that Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side, per Gary Phillips, and after a period of rest and limited activity, he will be re-imaged in four-to-six weeks.
Judge is expected to return in the 2026 season, but after at least a month-long absence.
Yankees MVP Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side that will sideline him indefinitely. He will undergo more imaging tests in 4-6 weeks to determine how he’s progressing.
The Yankees don’t expect the injury to be season-ending.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 5, 2026
After missing Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s games against Cleveland, Judge was reportedly headed back to the doctor for more imaging on his ribs. He initially remained day-to-day, but a second trip to the doctor wasn’t exactly ideal news.
Aaron Judge is being sent for more imaging on “more specific spots” in his right ribcage, Aaron Boone said.
“We just want clarity on exactly what we’re dealing with.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) June 4, 2026
The Yankees opened a three-game series at home on Tuesday vs. Cleveland before hosting the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. Judge had previously started every game for New York either in right field or as the team’s designated hitter. He then missed the last three outings with what was initially called a bone bruise.
On Thursday, Greg Joyce reported that for Judge’s injury, the Yankees have been consulting Dr. Gregory Pearl, who specializes in “complex vascular procedures and thoracic outlet syndrome management in high-performance athletes.” Jon Heyman added that the team is “hopeful” to rule out thoraic outlet syndrome.
That was ultimately the case, but Judge’s stress fracture will still force him to miss time for New York.
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What happened to Aaron Judge?
Aaron Boone said that the team doesn’t know exactly when Judge first got injured, but Judge has been dealing with a sore shoulder for a few weeks. Over the weekend, though, Judge’s pain got worse, resulting in the hitter sitting out on Tuesday night.
At first, Boone officially described the injury as a bone bruise in Judge’s right ribs that he is able to feel in his right shoulder. On the field, the injury impacts Judge more when he swings.
An official diagnosis has not yet been provided, but the Yankees were reportedly hoping to rule out thoraic outlet syndrome prior to their announcement that Judge has a stress fracture in his ribs.
By the way, the Yankees are officially describing Judge’s injury as a bone bruise in the ribs that can be felt in the right shoulder. Boone said it impacted Judge when he swings.
— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) June 2, 2026
Stress fracture recovery timeline
Per Cleveland Clinic, a fracture in the ribs typically takes at least a month to fully heal. Specifically with stress fractures, they are often treated with rest, ice and pain relievers, but it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to return to physical activity, per Cleveland Clinic.
