New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge expressed confidence that he'll return to action this season after undergoing his latest round of imaging.
"I'll be back this season," Judge told reporters Wednesday. "I don't know why I wouldn't be. That was always the plan to come back. Sooner than later, definitely. I never had a thought of not playing this year."
"I'll be back this season."
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) August 5, 2026
- Aaron Judge pic.twitter.com/FVlzYqa91p
Manager Aaron Boone said Judge has been cleared for light activity, including outdoor running and upper-body resistance, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
The Yankees captain hasn't played since May 31 due to a stress fracture in his rib.
On Monday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman voiced optimism regarding Judge's potential return, but the executive said he wouldn't rule anything out until results from the latest round of imaging came back.
Judge owned a .907 OPS with 17 home runs in 59 games before being sidelined. The Yankees have struggled on offense without the 34-year-old as well as Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, who are out with injuries of their own.
