Yankees star Aaron Judge cleared for light activity and says he will return from injury this season
Mike Fitzpatrick
Associated Press
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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge looks on in the ninth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches from the dugout during a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, July 6, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)New York Yankees assistant hitting coach Jake Hirst, left, and Aaron Judge watch from the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, celebrates Ben Rice's, not pictured, two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)New York Yankees' Aaron Judge looks on from the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, July 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge looks on in the ninth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
NEW YORK – Aaron Judge has been cleared to begin light workout activity, and the New York Yankees captain said he will return this season from the rib injury that's sidelined him since May 31.
The three-time AL MVP was on the field at Yankee Stadium in baseball gear Wednesday afternoon, stretching, jogging and doing shuffle slides with a resistance band. He was given the green light to take a step forward in his recovery progression after undergoing his latest scan Tuesday.
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Still, it will be a while before Judge is back in the lineup. He must first advance to taking swings, and neither he nor Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a target date for the slugger's return.
Judge is on the 60-day injured list with a stress fracture of his right rib. He is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs but had just one homer in his last 18 games before going on the IL.
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