By J.J. Pavlick | New York, NY | June 5, 2026
NEW YORK — The Yankees will be without Aaron Judge for an extended stretch after the star outfielder was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side, an injury that will require several weeks of rest and reevaluation. The club placed Judge on the 10‑day injured list Friday and recalled outfielder Spencer Jones from Triple‑A Scranton/Wilkes‑Barre.
Judge’s absence loomed over the Yankees’ three‑game set against the Guardians, a series that ended Thursday with a tight 2–1 win powered by small‑ball rather than the slugging presence they typically rely on. That glimpse may become the norm for the foreseeable future.
The Yankees said Judge will be reimaged in four to six weeks to determine healing progress and next steps. While the timeline could push his return into August, the club expressed relief that the injury is not season‑ending. The diagnosis followed a consultation with Dr. Gregory Pearl of Dallas, a specialist in thoracic outlet syndrome management for high‑performance athletes.
Judge remained in New York for a battery of tests, including an MRI, X‑rays, and a CT scan. Manager Aaron Boone said swelling in the area initially made it difficult to pinpoint the source of the discomfort.
“He’s been dealing with it for a couple of weeks; he only feels it when he swings, but it’s been enough that we needed to get answers.”
Aaron Boone, New York Yankees Manager
Judge missed his first game of the season Tuesday after reporting discomfort during the club’s series in West Sacramento against the Athletics. In his absence, the Yankees used José Caballero and Max Schuemann in right field during the Cleveland series. With Judge sidelined—and Jasson Domínguez and Giancarlo Stanton still rehabbing—Jones is expected to receive regular playing time. The 25‑year‑old, ranked as the organization’s No. 6 prospect by MLB Pipeline, hit .167 with two RBIs in 10 games during his first callup.
“Aaron obviously means a lot to us,” Gerrit Cole said. “He plays great baseball and brings great energy. It’s tough when guys get hurt, but it’s part of the game. As a team, you’ve got to figure out how to step up, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Inside the clubhouse, teammates said Judge has maintained his usual demeanor despite the uncertainty.
“I’ve never seen him negative, ever,” second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “He’s the same guy every day. I think he’s handling it really well.”
Judge could not identify a specific moment when the discomfort began. Since May 11, he has been batting. 206 with one home run and eight RBIs. Overall, he is slashing .248/.375/.533 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs in 59 games.
This is not Judge’s first encounter with a rib injury. In 2019, he sustained a stress fracture in the same rib while making a diving catch, an injury he played through into the postseason. He was later diagnosed with a punctured lung, and had the 2020 season begun on time, he would have opened the year on the injured list.
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