On Thursday, the New York Yankees are off following a series where they dropped two out of three games to the St. Louis Cardinals (at home).
The Yankees will resume action on Friday night when they host Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Atlanta Braves in the Bronx.
ESPN Insider Makes Aaron Judge Statement
GettyAaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Tyler Holton #87 of the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
The Yankees continue to play without their best player, as Aaron Judge has been out since May 31 with an injury.
MLB.com wrote (on August 5): “Cleared for light exercises, including outdoor running and upper-body resistance training, after undergoing imaging Aug. 4. Performed on-field running Aug. 5. Rib is not completely healed but this is a first step toward baseball activities; Judge has not swung a bat since May 31.”
GettyAaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates after hitting a two run home run against Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning during their game at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2025 in New York City.
ESPN’s Buster Olney spoke about Judge on Thursday morning (via Get Up).
Olney: “The Yankees will continue to slow play this injury to make sure that he has a chance when he does come back, and they’re confident that he’s going to come back, that he has the best chance to help them in September and October. The big question, the unknown, is how his body reacts once he gets back to playing baseball day after day after day. Nobody knows that. He’s the big X factor for the Yankees as we go down the stretch.”
Judge is in the middle of his 11th season at the MLB level.
The three-time MVP has spent his entire career in New York.
Before getting hurt, the 34-year-old had been batting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs in 57 games.
Yankees Before Braves Series On Friday
GettyGeorge Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees (C) talks with teammates before his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium on August 04, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
The Yankees are currently the second-place team in the American League East with a 64-51 record in 115 games.
They have gone 27-25 in 52 games at home in the Bronx.
ESPN Insider Makes Aaron Judge Statement Amid Injury To Yankees Star