Aaron Judge’s Rib Injury: What’s Going On and When Will He Be Back?

The Big News

Aaron Judge, the superstar baseball player for the New York Yankees, hasn’t played a game since May 31. Why? He has a cracked rib (called a "stress fracture") that just won’t fully heal yet.

This week, doctors took a fresh look with a scan (like a special picture of the inside of his body). The result? The rib has only partly healed — not enough for him to start playing baseball again. No one knows exactly what happens next.

Important Point: Even though the rib isn’t ready, both Judge and the Yankees manager (coach), Aaron Boone, said on Friday they still plan for him to play again this season. They just don’t know the exact date.

What Judge and the Coach Said

• Judge said: "I don’t know why I wouldn’t [return]." (Meaning: he expects to come back.)
• Boone said: "I feel good about the fact that he’ll be back. It’s just a matter of when."
• Judge explained that a team of doctors is looking at his case to make the best plan.

How the Injury Happened

Here is the simple timeline of Judge’s boo-boo:

1. In late April, Judge dove to catch a flying ball and got hurt.
2. He kept playing even though it hurt — like running on a sprained ankle.
3. From May 13 to May 31, he played badly because of the pain (only 1 home run, low scores).
4. The team’s GM later said Judge "probably" made it worse by not resting.
5. On May 31, he stopped playing.
6. A scan on Wednesday showed the rib is healing a little, which Judge called "a positive result."

The Yankees are now waiting to hear from a rib expert doctor in Dallas (Dr. Gregory Pearl) before deciding the next steps.

How Judge Feels Now

• He is 34 years old and says he feels "better" than when he first got hurt.
• He had a few really tough weeks where he could barely move.
• Now he feels "10 times better" but can only do easy stuff:
  • Walk on a slanted treadmill
  • Do neck exercises

Has This Happened Before?

Yes! Judge had a similar owie back in 2019–2020:

• He dove for a ball in September 2019.
• Got a stress fracture in almost the same rib spot plus a partially collapsed lung (a lung that shrank a bit).
• Because of COVID-19, the 2020 season was delayed, so he didn’t miss games from that injury.
• Later a calf (back of leg) strain limited him to 28 games that year.

How the Yankees Are Doing Without Him

The team has lots of hurt players right now:

• With Judge: they won 36 and lost 23 games.
• Without Judge (before Friday): they won 18 and lost 19.
• Also missing:
  • Giancarlo Stanton (calf since April 24)
  • Max Fried (elbow since May 16)
  • Carlos Rodón (elbow since July 3)

Good news: Max Fried should return first. The plan for him:

1. Throw 50 pitches in a practice game Friday (for a minor league team).
2. Throw another game in 5 days.
3. Then the Yankees will decide if he’s ready to come back.

But for Judge? Still a mystery.

Summary

Aaron Judge cracked his rib diving for a ball, kept playing, and made it worse. A scan this week shows it’s only partly healed. He and his coach believe he’ll return this season, but the exact timing is unknown. The Yankees are struggling a bit without him and other injured stars, though another player (Fried) is close to coming back.

FAQ

1. What is a stress fracture?
It’s a tiny crack in a bone from overuse or a hard hit — like a hairline crack in a cup.

2. Why didn’t Judge just stop playing when it hurt?
He tried to help his team and played through the pain, but the GM said that probably made the injury worse.

3. Will Judge definitely play again this year?
He and the manager say yes, but they are waiting on a specialist’s advice to know when.

4. Who is Dr. Gregory Pearl?
A rib specialist (bone doctor) in Dallas whose opinion the Yankees are waiting for.

5. How are the Yankees doing without Judge?
They have a slightly losing record (18–19) compared to winning with him (36–23).