The New York Yankees made the move that they initially hoped to avoid. The club has placed Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list (backdated to June 2) and called up outfielder Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. The move ends a stressful week for the Yankees, who now have a clear diagnosis on their MVP candidate and how long he’ll be out of action.
Jones, 25, will be the first Yankee to have a shot at filling in for the three-time MVP. It will be the second stint on the roster for the organization’s No. 6 prospect. Raw power is his carrying tool, as MLB Pipeline assigns him a 65 grade.
With Scranton Wilkes-Barre, Jones is putting up a .269/.378/.571 slash with a 143 wRC+. While he’s been lighting up Triple-A pitching, the production has yet to translate to the big leagues.
Yankees Recall Spencer Jones as Aaron Judge Hits IL
Replacing Aaron Judge, even the diminished 2026 version, is an impossible task for the Yankees. However, they still have to play without him for the next four to six weeks. And they can’t rely on making a trade to bolster their major league lineup, as teams haven’t separated in the postseason picture yet.
Jones’ first stint in the big leagues didn’t go well. Used mostly in a platoon situation, the left-handed slugger went 4-for-24 at the plate. He struck out 12 times in 27 plate appearances, which isn’t too surprising given his 32.4% rate in Triple-A. He was sent down instead of Anthony Volpe when the club activated Jose Caballero from the injured list on May 22.
Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham are already playing every day in left and center field, so that leaves right field for Jones. Most likely, the Yankees will deploy a platoon to shield the young prospect from unfavorable matchups. The club has three utility infielders, all of whom bat right-handed, who can cover the corner outfield.
The Yankees are hoping for a more successful stint from Jones this time around. He’ll hold down the fort until more established options get healthier. The club is still awaiting the return of two injured hitters.
Yankees Outfield Health Could Determine Spencer Jones’ Stay
It’s unclear how long Jones will be tasked with sticking in the lineup. The Yankees are considerably thin in their outfield depth following injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Dominguez.
Dominguez seems to be the closest of the two hitters to returning, as the latest update on the young outfielder is that he’ll embark on a rehab assignment. According to The Athletic‘s Jim Bowden, he’ll DH in the first game. Then, after a rest day, he’ll resume playing left field. Bowden anticipates that Dominguez will return “by the end of next week” and Cody Bellinger will move to right field.
This timeline gives Jones roughly a week to show he’s a capable bat. His 40-man clock started earlier in the season, so he still has minor league options. His play could impact the Yankees’ potential deadline decisions in terms of bolstering their lineup for the stretch run.
Once Dominguez finishes his rehab assignment, the Yankees will have decisions on how to proceed with their outfield. That could mean Jones gets demoted again if he struggles in his second stint on the active roster.
Yankees Turn to Top Outfield Prospect After Aaron Judge Injury