Aaron Judge took his first real step toward a comeback on August 5, 2026. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that the Yankees captain has been cleared for outdoor running and upper-body resistance work — 66 days after a fractured right first rib landed him on the 60-day injured list on July 18. Judge was spotted at Yankee Stadium stretching, jogging and doing lateral slides with a resistance band. It was the most hopeful image Yankees fans had seen in two months.
What Boone Said — and What the Clearance Actually Means
The green light came after Judge underwent new imaging on Tuesday, August 4. Results were positive enough for the medical staff to authorize the first phase of movement. But here’s the calendar catch: the next required milestone is clearance to take live batting swings, and once that arrives, Boone acknowledged that Judge will need a ramp-up period equivalent to a full spring training before he can play in real games.
With 52 regular-season games remaining at the time of the clearance, the window is narrow. Not impossible, but narrow. Both Judge and Boone said they believe he’ll be back this season — neither put a specific date on it.
The Yankees Without Judge: Dead Last in Offense
The numbers tell the story bluntly. Since June 1 — when Judge last played — the Yankees rank last in wRC+ among all 30 MLB teams, 27th in OPS and 26th in runs scored. And it wasn’t just Judge. Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Cody Bellinger (hamstring) were also on the injured list at the same time, turning the Bronx offense into a collective emergency.
GM Brian Cashman acted before the trade deadline, acquiring first baseman Luis García Jr. from the Washington Nationals and outfielder Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants to fill the gaps.
Despite everything, the Yankees entered August at 62-49, leading the American League Wild Card and chasing the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The real question is whether that’s enough to make a deep postseason run without their best hitter.
What’s at Stake: 400 Home Runs and a Historic Record
Before the injury, Judge was slashing .248/.361/.546 with 17 home runs, 38 RBI and a .907 OPS in 59 games in 2026. Not his usual ceiling — his last full season saw him hit .331/.457/.688 with 53 home runs, 114 RBI and a 10.1 fWAR, one of the finest individual seasons in modern baseball.
But what makes his return even more urgent goes beyond the playoffs. Judge went on the IL with 385 career home runs — just 15 away from 400. According to CBS Sports data, he’s on pace to become the fastest player in history to reach that milestone, with a chance to break Mark McGwire’s record of 1,412 games; Judge has played 1,204. If the calendar runs out, that historic mark gets pushed to 2027.
There’s genuine urgency in the Bronx — and for the first time in two months, there’s something concrete to hold onto. Judge was seen on the Yankee Stadium grass, moving. For fans who’ve been waiting weeks for exactly that image, it’s already something.
