The Yankees finally have their captain back.
New York activated Aaron Judge from the 60-day injured list Monday night, bringing the three-time American League Most Valuable Player back to the roster after an 84-game absence caused by a fractured rib. Judge is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday when the Yankees begin a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium.
Judge has not played since May 31, when he was still trying to manage the injury that eventually forced him out of the lineup for more than three months. The stress fracture in his right first rib was traced to a defensive dive in Houston earlier in the season.
Rather than go through a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, Judge increased his baseball activities during New York’s recent West Coast trip before taking live batting practice Monday at Yankee Stadium. He faced both right-handed and left-handed pitching in his first live at-bats since suffering the injury.
Aaron Judge taking live BP at Yankee Stadium today.
— Everything Yankees (@eyyankees) September 7, 2026
Via MLB Network pic.twitter.com/Wm3L5CP3rt
The 34-year-old returns with 17 home runs, 38 runs batted in and a .907 on-base plus slugging percentage while batting .248 over 59 games.
His absence was felt throughout the Yankees’ lineup. New York went 45-39 without Judge, relying heavily on its starting pitching while the offense experienced prolonged stretches of inconsistency.
The Yankees averaged 4.1 runs per game and posted a .681 on-base plus slugging percentage without Judge, compared with 5.2 runs and a .770 mark when he was in the lineup.
With 19 games remaining, Judge’s return gives New York another major offensive weapon as it continues its pursuit of the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East while trying to remain ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card race.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.