Overview
- Judge has been sidelined since a fractured right first rib on June 5 and has missed more than three months of the season.
- He has resumed full on‑field work, completing consecutive batting practice sessions plus running and outfield drills while the Yankees planned a live‑pitching test on their next off‑day.
- Judge has told reporters he prefers to skip a minor‑league rehab assignment and return directly to the big‑league lineup, a stance the club is weighing against medical checks.
- Manager Aaron Boone said he wants to play Judge “as much as he can” when he returns and the club is discussing controlled big‑league ramp options such as playing full games with built‑in days off or limiting innings early.
- If activated this homestand the move would shift the outfield alignment, relieve pressure on the Yankees' struggling offense, and change late‑season workload decisions as the team prepares for the postseason.