Yankees injuries: Aaron Judge ‘getting closer,’ 2 off to Somerset; Giancarlo Stanton update

NEW YORK — The Yankees are getting one of their injured stars back for Game 2 of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader with the Red Sox.

Left-hander Max Fried predicted that his second IL stint this season for an elbow bone bruise would be shorter than the first, and he’s right.

The first went on for two months and this one was for just the minimum 15 days.

Next to come off the IL will be third baseman Ryan McMahon on Tuesday, and after that it could be right fielder Aaron Judge within the next week or two.

Here are updates on all of the Yankees’ injured players:

Injury: Left elbow bone bruise.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 17 (retro to Aug. 14).

Missed games: 13.

Expected return: Saturday.

2026 stats: 4-4, 2.81 ERA, 15 starts, 86.1 IP, 59 hits, 27 runs, 27 ER, 2 HR, 27 BB, 79 K.

The latest: Fried was medically cleared to come off the IL after having no issues throwing a bullpen Thursday. This return has the Yankees’ four aces in the rotation at the same time for the first time.

Boone on Aug. 28: “We were hopeful of (a 15-day IL stint) going in. Some thought we maybe could have even kept a pitch in, but I felt like this was the smarter thing to do to give ourselves the best chance to be in a better place with him in what we hope is a couple more months of playing. He’s responded well, actually similar to how he responded the first time when he missed more time. He’s never really been shut down. This week’s gone well with the live and two sides around that. I’m excited to get him back out there.”

Injury: Grade 2 left thumb strain.

Status: 10-day IL since Aug. 21 (backdated to Aug. 20).

Missed games: 8.

Expected return: Tuesday.

2026 stats: .216 average, 60-for-278, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 2 SB, 24 BB, 93 K, .649 OPS, 106 games.

The latest: McMahon will play a rehab game Saturday with the Double-A Somerset Patriots, then travel to Anaheim, Calif., with the Yankees on Sunday night and come off the IL Tuesday when rosters expand from 26 players to 28.

McMahon on Aug. 28: “My thumb feels pretty good. Just soreness, but since the swelling went down, it’s way better. The only part that I was having trouble with was holding the bat and the last couple days I’ve been pretty good with that.”

Injury: Right rib stress fracture.

Status: 10-day IL since June 5 (backdated to June 2). Transferred to 60-day IL on July 18.

Missed games: 75.

Expected return: September.

2026 stats: .248 average, 53-for-214, 17 HR, 38 RBI, 5 SB, 42 BB, 72 K, .907 OPS, 59 games.

The latest: Judge could be cleared to start hitting on the high-velocity pitching machine any day, and a few days after occurs, he might be able to talk his way into a return with no rehab games. That’s what Judge badly wants, but Boone said on Thursday it would be an organizational decision.

Boone on Aug. 28: “I love how he looks and how he feels and how it seems to be going, so we’re definitely getting closer. I don’t have a date or anything yet, but he’s responding really well to the big spike in strain or workload or however you want to call it. He seems to be responding really well.”

Injury: Left forearm flexor strain.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 23.

Missed games: 5.

Expected return: September.

2026 stats: 5-8, 3.60 ERA, 25 starts, 137.1 IP, 130 hits, 61 runs, 55 ER, 18 HR, 38 BB, 143 K.

The latest: Weathers is almost a week into no throwing for two to four weeks, but he’s optimistic that he’ll be off the IL and pitching in relief before the regular season ends Sept. 27.

Boone on Aug. 28: “Weathers is doing really good. He’s going to be back in the mix.”

Injury: Tommy John surgery on July 11, 2025.

Status: 60-day IL since Feb. 12.

Missed games: 134.

Expected return: September.

The latest: Like McMahon, Schmidt will begin a rehab assignment Saturday with the Somerset Patriots. He’ll start the game, but probably pitch only one inning because the Yankees are prepping him for a September and postseason relief role.

Injury: Partial tear in right ulnar collateral ligament.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 26.

Missed games: 3.

Expected return: 2027.

2026 stats: 4-6, 3.13 ERA, 61 games, 2 saves, 54.2 IP, 41 hits, 23 runs, 19 ER, 7 HR, 32 BB, 67 K.

The latest: Cruz is getting a second opinion on this week’s UCL tear diagnosis from Dr. Keith Meister, the Texas Rangers’ head physician who is known for performing Tommy John surgeries.

Injury: Right and left calf strains.

Status: 10-day IL since April 28 (backdated to April 25). Transferred to 60-day IL on Aug. 25.

Missed games: 108.

Expected return: Late August or September.

2026 stats: .256 average, 23-for-90, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 1 SB, 6 BB, 29 K, .724 OPS, 24 games.

The latest: Stanton still is shut down from baseball activities after suffering a moderate left calf strain falling while running the bases Aug. 18 at Yankee Stadium. At the time, he was close to beginning a rehab assignment for a right calf strain that occurred four months ago.

Boone on Aug. 28: “He’s moving and rehabbing as if he’s trying to get ready, so we’ll see.”

Injury: Right elbow neuritis.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 11 (retro to Aug. 10. Transferred to 60-day IL on Aug. 26.

Missed games: 16.

Expected return: 2027.

2026 stats: 0-0, 1.42 ERA, 5 games, 6.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K.

The latest: Castro recently met with Dr. Keith Meister, the Texas Rangers’ head physician who is known for performing Tommy John surgeries, but the Yankees haven’t announced the next step.

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