Aaron Judge is returning to the New York Yankees' lineup after spending 83 games on the injured list due to a stress fracture in his right first rib. The team announced Judge's reinstatement ahead of their series against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Judge suffered the injury in late May and was placed on the 60-day injured list. However, he has been working his way back to full health, and on Monday, he was seen taking live batting practice at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees opted not to send Judge to a minor-league rehab assignment, instead choosing to have him build his stamina for the postseason run in September.
Judge has been cleared to do baseball activities since August and has been gradually increasing his workload. He has been hitting off a tee, facing a high-velocity pitching machine, and doing outfield and baserunning drills to prepare for his role in right field. The Yankees are hoping that Judge's return will give them a boost in offense, which has struggled to pick up the slack left by his absence.
The team is currently four games behind the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays but owns the top American League Wild Card slot with a nine-game lead. Judge's return comes at a critical time, as the Yankees aim to make a push for the top spot in the East and secure a spot in the postseason.
Judge was hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs before being injured on June 5. The Yankees went 45-38 in the 83 games he missed, with their pitching staff being a bright spot during that time.
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