Yankees Obvious Answer If Aaron Judge Requires IL Stint
The New York Yankees could be without superstar slugger Aaron Judge for the next couple of days.
Judge didn't play in the Yankees' series opener against the Cleveland Guardians on June 2 due to a bone bruise in his right rib cage. The slugger is set to meet with a specialist on June 3 to discuss next steps and when he could potentially return to the lineup, according to manager Aaron Boone.
"It's kind of a unique spot," Boone said postgame. "We'll have the specialist probably look at it tomorrow and see where we're at and see how he feels (Wednesday) with it."
If Judge does need an IL stint, it would be a big blow to the Yankees' lineup, but New York has an obvious answer to replace him in rookie Spencer Jones.
Jones is the Yankees' sixth-ranked prospect and made his MLB debut earlier this year after Jasson Dominguez went to the IL. The 25-year-old is a true boom-or-bust hitter who strikes out a ton but has plenty of power.
Jones can replace Judge in right field and help fill the loss of his power in the lineup. In his first stint in the MLB, Jones hit .167 with zero home runs and two RBIs, while he struck out 12 times in 24 at-bats, which is a concern.
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However, Boone felt like Jones showed some positive signs in his first stint in the Majors.
"Really tough call… I feel like it was a good experience for Spencer. Even though he didn't get a lot of results, I actually feel like he held his own pretty well… It was a tough call," Boone said on May 22.
Yet, in Triple-A, Jones is showing off his power, with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs, while last season he hit 35 home runs.
If Judge does miss time, Jones is the obvious answer to fill the void in right field and help replace the void of power in the lineup.
Yankees Hopeful Judge Injury Isn't Serious
Although Judge didn't play in the series opener against the Guardians and is set to visit a specialist, the Yankees are hopeful the injury isn't serious, which wouldn't require the team to recall Jones.
"Hopefully, it is something that we just get calmed down here and put it behind us," Boone said.
Judge, however, had been struggling due to the injury, as since May 11, he hit .206 with just one home run and struck out 19 times, which is unlike him, so Boone does think the injury has been something he's been dealing with for a bit.
"The last couple of games in Sacramento, I think it became a little more than that, where I noticed it with some swings and stuff," Boone said. "I think it was affecting him."
The Yankees will know more on Judge's status after he meets with a specialist on June 3. But, for now, New York is focused on picking up Judge's slack and stepping up in the meantime.
"We'd love to have him in the lineup for this team; he's the captain for a reason," Paul Goldschmidt said. "But if he does end up missing time, whether it's short or long, the guys that are here are going to have to step up and play well."
New York is currently 36-24 and in second place in the AL East.
Related: Tigers Have 'Little Choice' But To Trade Tarik Skubal, Claims Insider
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:04 AM.