Aaron Judge Out Indefinitely Due to Rib Stress Fracture

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was sidelined indefinitely with a stress fracture of his ribs, the team announced on June 4, 2026. The three-time AL MVP had been missing from the lineup for a third consecutive game as the Yankees awaited clarity regarding what they initially described as a bone bruise in one of Judge's right ribs, which was causing right shoulder pain.

The Yankees later confirmed that Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture of his first rib on the right side. He was advised to rest and limit his activities. The team expects that he will be re-evaluated after receiving additional imaging in approximately four to six weeks. In a statement, the Yankees noted that Judge is anticipated to return "at some point this season."

Following a 2-1 victory over Cleveland that prevented a three-game sweep, manager Aaron Boone mentioned that the team was awaiting findings from Dr. Gregory Pearl, a vascular surgery specialist in Dallas. "Look, it’s a lot of smart people in a specialized area and (the) guy’s several states away," Boone said. "We just got to be patient."

Judge underwent a CT scan on the morning of June 4 and previously had an MRI when he consulted a specialist earlier in the week. The bruise was initially identified during tests conducted on the team’s off day on Monday. "I’m obviously not a doctor, I don’t know how it all works, but there’s a lot of people involved in trying to make sure we get the right diagnosis," Boone remarked on June 4.

Judge had suffered a stress fracture in one of his right ribs in March 2020 after diving for a ball in September 2019, although he did not miss any time then due to the pandemic's delay of the 2020 season. This season, Judge's batting average is .248, having hit 17 home runs and driven in 38 RBIs. However, he hit only one homer in his last 18 games since May 10, ending an 11-game homer and RBI drought with a two-run drive on May 24 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

When faced with Tampa Bay, Judge entered with a 1-for-24 slump that had dropped his batting average to .246, and he was hitless in 15 at-bats before getting a single in the first inning. Last season, he won the batting title, finishing with a career-high .331 average, 53 home runs, and 114 RBIs in 152 games. He also missed 10 games during the 2022 season due to a flexor strain in his right elbow from a throw on July 22 in Toronto.

Giancarlo Stanton filled in for Judge during his previous injury, playing 17 games in the outfield, but Stanton has been sidelined since April 24 with a strained right calf. He began taking live at-bats on the field on June 1 but was ruled out for the Yankees’ next road trip. José Caballero had started the first two games against Cleveland, while Max Schuemann made his first career start in right field on June 4.

Judge had started 52 of the Yankees' first 59 games in right field. Rookie Spencer Jones had made four starts in right field before being sent down on May 22, while Cody Bellinger has also started two games.