Yankees Announce Aaron Judge Update Before Cubs Game

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Yankees Announce Aaron Judge Update Before Cubs Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Xavier Constantino | Last updated Aug 2, 2026 2:58 PM ET

The New York Yankees have less than two months left of the regular season to sort out their lineup before the postseason, and Sunday's update from manager Aaron Boone, per Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, did not bring them any closer to getting Aaron Judge back.

The three-time American League MVP has been sidelined since late May with a stress fracture in his first right rib, and Boone said there is still no timetable for the reimaging of the rib that would potentially allow Judge to resume baseball activities. Before Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs, the Yankees have a 62-49 record and hold the top AL Wild Card spot.

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Judge was batting .248 with a .375 on-base percentage and a .533 slugging percentage with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs this season before heading to the injured list. He has already missed more than two months, and every week without a timetable shrinks the runway the Yankees have to get him right before October.

Boone did have progress to share on two other injured bats, though neither offers immediate help. Giancarlo Stanton, out since late April with a right calf strain, is set to face live pitching from Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt this week, though Boone wasn't certain whether Stanton would actually swing or simply stand in the box. Before his injury, Stanton was hitting .256 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games.

Aaron Boone said he wasn't sure if Giancarlo Stanton is going to actually swing or just stand in during his upcoming lives against Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt, but he has been hitting.

There's still no reimagining date for Aaron Judge.

Cody Bellinger is running outside,…
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) August 2, 2026

Cody Bellinger, meanwhile, is running outside, hitting and throwing as he works back from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that landed him on the injured list on July 27, per Boone. With the Yankees continuing to fight for a postseason spot with October a couple of months away, progress notes are no substitute for having all three bats back in the lineup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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