2 minSports
Yankees' Aaron Judge Returns to Injured List With Calf Strain
The New York Yankees will place slugger Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, likely sidelining him for most of the remaining regular season as the team trails Tampa Bay in the AL East.
The New York Yankees will place star outfielder Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, the team announced Friday, a move that will likely keep the three-time American League MVP out for most of the remaining regular season.
The designation can be backdated to Thursday, which would make Judge eligible to return for the Yankees' regular-season finale on Sept. 27. The 34-year-old last played Wednesday in the Yankees' series finale against the Minnesota Twins, but was removed in the sixth inning because of leg discomfort. He described the move as precautionary at the time.
The injury is the latest setback in a frustrating season for Judge, who has appeared in just 66 games after playing more than 150 in each of the previous two seasons. He returned last week after missing more than three months with a broken rib, but has managed only one extra-base hit in seven games since coming back.
Judge's absence comes at a critical moment for the Yankees, who entered Friday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix five games behind the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Both teams have already clinched postseason berths, but the division title remains within reach mathematically — though the gap will be difficult to close without their most productive hitter.
The Yankees have not announced a corresponding roster move. Manager Aaron Boone is expected to address the situation before Friday's game.
Judge, who won back-to-back AL MVP awards in 2024 and 2025, had been counted on to anchor the lineup down the stretch. His prolonged absence earlier this season tested the team's depth, and the Yankees will again need to rely on their supporting cast to maintain momentum into October.
New York continues its road trip Friday night against the Diamondbacks before returning home for a season-ending homestand. The team has not indicated whether Judge will require more than the minimum 10 days to recover.
