Aaron Judge latest career updates are not what Yankees fans wanted to hear. Judge has a stress fracture in his right rib. He has been out since June 1. The team is taking it slow. They want him back for the playoffs. Not for games in July. Judge has 385 career home runs and 17 this season.

He was on fire in May with 14 homers. Then the injury hit. The Yankees have struggled without him. They dropped from fourth to 22nd in runs scored. The team is three games back. Everyone is waiting for Judge to heal. But nobody knows when that will be. Here is what we know right now.

The Injury: What Happened to Judge?

Judge last played on May 31. He went on the injured list June 5 after doctors found a stress fracture in his right rib . This is not a small injury. Stress fractures take time to heal. You cannot rush them. If you do, they get worse.

The Yankees put Judge on a timeline. They said he would be re-evaluated in four to six weeks . That timeline is up. But the team is not rushing him back. MLB insider Buster Olney said the Yankees are "slow-playing the injury" . They want him healthy for the playoffs. Not for a random Tuesday game in July.

Judge said he has "nothing" to report until he gets new scans . The team expects to see improvement in those scans. If they do, Judge can start upper-body workouts. That is his biggest step toward returning .

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When Will He Return?

The Yankees hope Judge returns by late August or early September . That would give him enough time to get ready for October. General manager Brian Cashman admitted Judge will not be 100 percent when he comes back . But they need him on the field. Even a less-than-perfect Judge is better than most hitters.

This is not the first time Judge has missed significant time. He missed 45 games with a broken wrist in 2018. He missed 54 games with an oblique strain in 2019. He missed 42 games with a broken toe in 2023 . The Yankees went 19-23 without him in 2023. They know what happens when he is out.

How Has the Team Done Without Him?

Before Judge got hurt, the Yankees scored the fourth-most runs in baseball . They were second in offensive production. Since he went down, they are 22nd in runs scored . That is a huge drop.

The Yankees cannot replace Judge. Nobody can. Ben Rice has been hitting well. Cody Bellinger is trying to carry the load. But it is not enough. The team lost 15 of 20 games during one stretch . They have been inconsistent all year.

Aaron Judge Career Stats: The Big Picture

Judge is 34 years old. He has played 10 seasons in the majors. He has 385 career home runs . He has hit 62 home runs in a single season. That is an American League record. He broke Roger Maris's record in 2022.

At home in his career, Judge has a .302 batting average. He has 605 hits, 190 homers, and 426 RBIs in 571 games at Yankee Stadium . He is one of the best hitters of his generation.

How Many Home Runs Does Aaron Judge Have This Year?

Before the injury, Judge had 17 home runs in 59 games . He was hitting .248 with 38 RBIs and a .907 OPS . Those numbers are good. But they are below his career standard. He had one home run in his final 18 games before getting hurt . He ended an 11-game homer drought with a game-winning shot on May 24 .

May was his best month. He hit 14 home runs that month . He had 26 extra-base hits. That is the most by a Yankee in a month since Joe DiMaggio in 1937 . Judge was on fire. Then the rib injury stopped everything.

Aaron Judge Hits Today: What Is He Doing Now?

Judge is not playing. He is waiting. He is getting treatment. He is waiting for scans to show improvement. He said there is "no need to talk about this now" until he has real information . He wants to give fans the full story. Not just guesses.

The Yankees are being careful. They do not want to lose him for the whole season. They want him back for the stretch run. Judge is frustrated. He wants to play. But he knows he has to be smart.

What Is Next for Judge and the Yankees?

The Yankees are three games back in the American League East . They have a chance to make the playoffs. But they need Judge. The front office might make trades before the deadline. They could add a reliever or a right-handed hitter . They want to give this team a boost until Judge returns.

Judge is the key to everything. When he is in the lineup, the Yankees are a contender. When he is out, they are average. The team is hoping for good news on his scans. If he can start workouts soon, he will be back in time for October. That is the goal.

Quick Career Snapshot

• Career Home Runs: 385 
• 2026 Home Runs: 17 
• 2026 Batting Average: .248 
• 2026 RBIs: 38 
• Age: 34
• Injury: Stress fracture, right rib
• Expected Return: Late August/Early September 

Aaron Judge latest career updates show a player dealing with another tough injury. But he has come back before. He will come back again. The Yankees just need him ready when it matters most.

FAQs

1. What is wrong with Aaron Judge?

He has a broken rib. It is a stress fracture on the right side. It happened on June 1. He tried to play through it for a few days. He could not. The team put him on the injured list on June 5. He has been out ever since. A stress fracture is tricky. You cannot push through it. You have to rest and let the bone heal on its own.

2. When will he play again?

The team hopes August or September. But nobody has a clear date. He needs new scans first. The doctors want to see the bone getting better. Then he can start working out again. Then he needs to get his timing back. That takes weeks. The Yankees are being careful. They do not want him to get hurt again. They need him for October, not July.

3. How many homers does Judge have this season?

He has 17 home runs. He hit those in 59 games. He started slow. Then May happened. He crushed 14 home runs in May. That was the best month by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio. He was the hottest hitter in baseball. Then the rib gave out. He has not added to that number since June 1. He is stuck at 17 for now.

4. What are his career numbers looking like?

He has 385 home runs in 10 seasons. He hit 62 in 2022. That broke the AL record. He has 190 homers at Yankee Stadium. He bats over .300 at home. He is 34 years old. He has missed big chunks of seasons before. 2018, 2019, 2023. He always comes back. He always hits. That is what he does.

5. Can the Yankees win without him?

Not really. They were scoring runs before he got hurt. They were fourth in baseball. Now they are 22nd. That tells you everything. They lost 15 out of 20 games without him. Ben Rice is playing well. Cody Bellinger is trying. But it is not enough. The team is three games back. They need their best player. They just have to wait for him to heal.