New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right rib, the club announced.
He will be shut down for four to six weeks before being re-evaluated.
Team officials initially hoped the injury would not be serious, but a series of tests and imaging confirmed the fracture.
Judge avoided thoracic outlet syndrome, yet the diagnosis forces the Yankees to play without their star player for a significant stretch.
The news brings back memories of the 2023 campaign, when the Yankees finished with 82 wins, their worst season in 31 years.
However, the 2026 squad is better positioned to withstand Judge's absence.
In 2023, only Gleyber Torres (122 wRC+) and a declining DJ LeMahieu (100) performed at or above league average.
This season, multiple contributors are thriving: Ben Rice (184), Cody Bellinger (137), José Caballero (105), Trent Grisham (101), and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (100).
Rice is actually outperforming Judge's own 150 wRC+ mark.
The bench also offers production with bats like Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario surpassing league average.
Forthcoming Returns and Trade Market Possibilities
Additional offensive help is on the way. Giancarlo Stanton, sidelined since April 28 with a calf strain, was cleared to resume running last week.
Manager Aaron Boone said Stanton will take live batting practice this weekend and continue ramping up his running.
Stanton will not be activated before the upcoming road trip starting in Cleveland on June 8, but a mid-June return is plausible.
He may skip rehab assignments entirely, thanks to the organization's use of Trajekt pitching machines.
Jasson Domínguez is closer to returning after injuring his left AC joint on May 7.
He will start a minor league rehab stint this weekend, playing games on Friday and Sunday.
Boone noted Domínguez is expected to play more games beyond this weekend, so he will not immediately replace Judge.
Looking ahead to the trade deadline, the front office is expected to evaluate elite talent.
The club will gauge the cost for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal once he becomes available.
In an ideal scenario, Isaac Paredes remains a top infield target, while the front office continues to seek power arms for the bullpen, which might also be addressed internally.
