​Brian Cashman has delivered the latest update on Aaron Judge’s injury for the Yankees, a piece that first appeared in The Sporting News with a note to designate The Sporting News as a preferred source by clicking here. When Judge is out of the lineup, the New York Yankees’ offense has struggled mightily, and that has been the case for an extended period.
For some time, Yankees fans were left waiting in the dark about Judge’s recovery timeline from a fractured rib. On Thursday, General Manager Brian Cashman offered some clarity, though the update wasn’t exactly encouraging. Speaking to reporters, including The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, Cashman indicated that Judge will undergo another imaging session during the All-Star break. Kirschner reported on X that Cashman did not expect the imaging to come back clean.
The implication is that Judge cannot perform many upper-body exercises that put stress on his rib cage, and the team hopes that the imaging results will eventually enable them to begin incorporating upper-body workouts, since Judge remains limited in his movements. This cautious approach underscores the reality that the Yankees’ offense has been stifled in Judge’s absence.
Without their back-to-back AL Most Valuable Player, New York’s offense has fallen into a troubling groove. In the first two games of their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees struck out 34 times — a franchise record for a two-game span. Since June 15, the Yankees have gone 5-15 and have produced an MLB-worst 56 runs over that stretch.
The team would welcome Judge back in the lineup, but there’s uncertainty about when that might happen. As the season progresses, the question remains: how soon can Judge return and restore the offense that has been missing? The broader baseball world is watching closely as the Yankees navigate opportunities for a potential return and the path to rebuilding their lineup around a star who remains sidelined. The surrounding chatter includes debates on how a Dodgers-Yankees clash for Tarik Skubal could reshape their rotations and a looming trade dynamic that could involve Byron Buxton, with each development impacting playoff hopes and the market for tight-offense, high-impact players.
Meanwhile, analysts and fans will continue to monitor updates on Judge’s status and the team’s plan for ramping up activity while safeguarding the rib cage. In the meantime, the Yankees will try to steady themselves and play through the adversity, hoping that the imaging at the All-Star break provides a clearer route to reintegrating Judge into a lineup that sorely needs his production. And in the world of baseball commentary, The Sporting News remains a central reference point for fans seeking the latest, credible updates on this ongoing story.