Yankees’ Aaron Judge out indefinitely with rib fracture...

New York Yankees superstar slugger Aaron Judge will be out for a while, as he deals with a concerning upper-body injury. Although it is not a season-ending type of injury, Judge is expected to miss at least a month, according to Gary Phillips of the NY Daily News Sports. “The #Yankees say Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. This will require a period of rest and limited activity. He will be reimaged in approximately four to six weeks to determine level of healing and appropriate next steps. Judge is expected to return at some point this season,” Phillips shared via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter. The three-time American League Most Valuable Player has missed three games in a row due to that rib issue, including Thursday night’s series finale against the visiting Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. Despite missing Judge again, New York was able to prevent a series sweep at the hands of the Guardians, with the Yankees punctuating the three-leg set with a 2-1 victory. Nevertheless, the Yankees’ short-term outlook grows bleaker amid this latest development regarding their most prized asset. Judge is not having a great season by his lofty standards, but the Yankees are not a better team without him. So far in the 2026 MLB season, the seven-time All-Star is batting .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs through 59 games and 261 plate appearances. It remains to be seen whether the Judge would be put on the injured list, but in any case, the Yankees are pressed to cover the big void he’s temporarily left, particularly on their offense.