Yankees Announce Major Aaron Judge Update

The New York Yankees will be without two-time MVP Aaron Judge until August.

After a 9-5 loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday afternoon, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that Judge will be placed on the injured list with a flexor strain.

The Yankees seem to have avoided a worst-case scenario, as further imaging didn't reveal any damage to Judge's UCL. Still, the club is now forced to operate without the best player in the league for the near future amidst a massive cold streak that's seen them drop to six games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, flexor injuries often act as a signal that a UCL injury is forthcoming, though they can be healed with rest while the length of IL stints typically vary based on the severity of the strain.

"The flexor mass is the bundle of muscles in the forearm that connects to the elbow and serves as a brake to take stress and strain off the UCL," Passan wrote on X. "Flexor injuries often precede those to the UCL, but they can be healed with rest. Time on IL varies and depends on severity of strain."

There's currently not a timeline for when Judge may be activated, though Boone did state that he'll be refined to designated hitting duties once he does return to the Yankees.

Judge was not included in Saturday's starting lineup while nursing the injury. He served as the designated hitter in New York's series finale against the Blue Jays after YES Network's broadcast showed him wincing following a throw from right field in Tuesday's contest.

Coming into the day, Judge led the league in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.449) and slugging percentage (.711) while pacing the American League in RBIs with 85 to go alongside 35 home runs.

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