Sept. 1 (UPI) — Aaron Judge could make his return to the New York Yankees lineup by Sept. 8, manager Aaron Boone announced.
Boone provided the injury update to reporters Monday in Anaheim, Calif., where the Yankees took a 10-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Judge missed the last three months to recover from a stress fracture in his rib.
“He’s doing well,” Boone said. “He’s here. He’s here to kinda continue to ramp up baseball activities. We’re getting closer, but feel good about where he’s at.”
Boone was asked if it is possible for Judge to be ready for the Yankees’ next home stand, which starts Sept. 8 against the Colorado Rockies in New York.
“I think it’s possible,” Boone said. “I’m not going to put a date on it, but I think those things are in play now. It’s about getting the durability and workload built up on him, which is the biggest thing now.”
Judge hit .248, with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs through his first 59 games this season. The Yankees were 36-23 and 1.5 games behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays on May 31, when Judge left their lineup due to injury.
They are 42-40 since then and now sit 4.5 games behind the Rays in the race of the American League East title.
They hold an 8.5-game lead for the first American League wild card spot. The Yankees, who led MLB in home runs with 511 between the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, lead the American League with 190 this season.
The Angels will host the Yankees in the second game of the three-game series at 9:38 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Anaheim.