Aaron Judge was pulled from the Yankees' game against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday after developing tightness in his lower right leg, an unwelcome scare that arrives just eight days after he returned from a 99-day absence with a stress fracture in his first right rib. Heliot Ramos pinch-hit for Judge in the top of the sixth inning in Minneapolis, and the Yankees confirmed the reason for the switch shortly afterward.
According to the New York Daily News, Judge had been visibly hobbling in the outfield during the bottom of the fifth inning before he was lifted an inning later. The outlet also noted that Judge had a check swing on the first pitch of his third-inning at-bat, one of the small moments that drew attention to his movement well before the Yankees made the announcement. He finished the day 0-for-2 with two strikeouts.
The timing could hardly be worse for a team that just watched its captain start to find his footing again. Judge returned from the injured list on September 8 after skipping a minor league rehab assignment and facing live pitching only once before jumping straight back into major league games, per the same Daily News report. Since then, the results have been shaky: as theScore notes, Judge went 4-for-23 with 13 strikeouts following his activation, and the report also mentions a home run. That stretch included a stint of 3-for-17 with zero extra-base hits over his first five games back.
A Rib Injury With a History
Judge's original injury traces back to an April 26 attempt at a diving catch against the Houston Astros, after which he played through shoulder and rib discomfort for over a month before landing on the injured list on June 2, Hoodline previously reported on his comeback. What was initially described as a bone bruise was later confirmed as a stress fracture in his right first rib, echoing a nearly identical diagnosis Judge received in March 2020 that doctors at the time traced back to a diving attempt during the final stretch of the 2019 season.
The Yankees' offense cratered without their captain in the lineup. From June 2 through September 7, a span within Judge's 84-game absence that began May 31, New York ranked 28th in wOBA, 29th in wRC+, 29th in batting average, 27th in OPS, and 24th in runs scored, and posted a league-worst 26.1 percent strikeout rate over that same window, according to the Daily News. Over that span the club batted .227 with a .681 OPS, a .299 wOBA, a 90 wRC+, and 341 runs scored across the games Judge missed.
Roster Moves and a Rival Closing In
Judge's exit wasn't the only significant roster news out of the Bronx dugout Wednesday. New York activated right-hander Clarke Schmidt from the 60-day injured list after a 151-game recovery from Tommy John surgery, a return that followed five minor league rehab appearances, according to MLB.com. To open a roster spot, the Yankees designated utility player Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment.
Ramos, the pinch-hitter who stepped in for Judge, took his place in the sixth inning Wednesday.
The injury scare comes at a precarious point in the standings. As of Wednesday, the Yankees trailed the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays by four games while holding a 4.5-game cushion over the Boston Red Sox for home-field advantage in a potential AL Wild Card series, per Athlon Sports. With 10 games remaining, New York has already clinched its record 61st postseason berth, but seeding is still very much in play, with a day off scheduled for Thursday before a three-game series in Arizona and a four-game set against the Rays still to come.
Clutch Homer, Then Uncertainty
Just two days earlier, Judge delivered one of the signature moments of New York's season, launching a 415-foot, three-run home run off reliever A.J. Minter in the eighth inning to power an 8-3 win over the Twins and clinch that postseason spot. It was his first home run since May 24. The Yankees have made 61 playoff appearances, ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have made 40.
Manager Aaron Boone said before Wednesday's leg issue that he had been pleased with how Judge was responding physically since returning to game action. Judge himself has said simply that he wants to play every day. In 66 games this season before Wednesday's exit, Judge hit .241 with 18 home runs, 41 RBIs, a .371 wOBA and a 140 wRC+, numbers that underscore how much the lineup leans on him even in a shortened campaign. He is in the fourth season of a nine-year, $360 million contract that runs through 2031, and enters this stretch a year removed from winning his third AL MVP award after hitting .331 with 53 home runs in 2025.
Whether Wednesday's tightness proves to be nothing more than precaution or signals something more serious remains unclear. Fox Sports: MLB reported that there was no update on Judge's condition immediately following the game, leaving the Yankees, and their fans, to wait through Thursday's scheduled off day for more clarity before the club heads to Arizona.
