Aaron Judge speaks to media, shares his unique plan to return from IL

Aaron Judge is getting closer to returning to the New York Yankees, and the MLB superstar has already made his preference clear about how he wants to complete his comeback.

Judge said Thursday that he hopes to return directly to the Yankees without playing in a Minor League rehab game after missing nearly three months with a stress fracture in his right rib.

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Judge doesn’t want a rehab assignmentAug 23, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees injured right fielder Aaron Judge (99) warms up before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Judge has already discussed the idea with manager Aaron Boone, and his reasoning is straightforward: He believes he can get the necessary work in while remaining with the Yankees.

“I didn’t rehab in ‘23 when I missed probably the same amount of time,” Judge said. “Why waste at-bats? Why waste anything down in a Minor League game? I’ve been doing this for a while now, and I’ve got a sense of what I need to do on the field and how to manage it.”

Judge has not played since May 31, but he has recently ramped up his baseball activities. He has been running, throwing and shagging fly balls, and he took overhand batting practice for the first time Tuesday.

The Yankees have not committed to skipping a rehab assignment yet. Boone acknowledged that Judge has expressed the same preference to him, saying the team will work through the decision when they reach that point.

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Yankees desperately need Judge backMay 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) bats during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

There is little question why Judge wants to accelerate the process.

The Yankees’ offense has struggled significantly during his absence, and the team is entering the final stretch of the regular season with the postseason race becoming increasingly important. Judge’s return would provide an enormous boost to a lineup that has been missing its captain and biggest offensive weapon.

Judge also isn’t concerned about whether his power and bat speed will immediately return to normal. He said he feels great and believes the biggest priority right now is rebuilding his workload after such a long layoff.

The next major test will be facing higher-velocity pitching. Judge mentioned using tools such as the Trajekt machine and potentially facing rehabbing pitchers to get his timing back without needing a Minor League assignment.

There is still no official return date, but September remains the expectation.

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