The New York Yankees’ 2026 campaign ended unceremoniously earlier this month, as the Bronx Bombers were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. It wasn’t the result fans hoped for, but it was going to be tough sledding for the Yankees, who were without their captain, Aaron Judge.
Judge was sidelined by a right calf strain he suffered with less than a couple of weeks left in the regular season, which also forced him to miss the playoffs. The Yankees’ lineup missed his presence, especially in the ALDS, where they faced much better pitching from the Tampa Bay Rays.
That said, Yankees fans hope the injury bug is behind Judge after receiving some great news about the superstar on Wednesday. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters that the veteran slugger “has a follow-up exam” scheduled for his rib, and they expect him to be ready to go for Spring Training, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Aaron Judge has a follow-up exam scheduled with Dr. Gregory Pearl regarding his rib, Brian Cashman said. "We feel like we're in a good place. He can take advantage of the rest of the winter and be ready to go when Spring Training starts."
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) October 21, 2026
Yankees expect Aaron Judge to be ready for Spring Training
Even though Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner’s pressers on Wednesday didn’t exude much optimism, hearing that Judge has a follow-up with a doctor and that the Yankees feel like they’re “in a good place” is one piece of news the fanbase can hang onto heading into the offseason.
For those who might’ve forgotten, Judge missed 84 games this season because of the rib injury, which obviously had a dramatic effect on the Yankees’ offense. He returned in early September, which seemed perfect as New York was trying to catch the Rays for the AL East crown and potentially the No. 1 seed.
However, when Judge returned, he didn’t look like the same hitter. His timing was clearly off at the plate, and the team was slowly working him back into playing in right field.
During his seven-game stint in September, Judge slashed a mediocre .174/.208/.304 with a home run, three RBI, and 13 strikeouts.
But now, with all systems go for Judge, the Yankees can figure out what the plan is next for him and build around him this offseason. Based on how this season played out, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him play more DH next season since he’s getting up there in age and could stand to limit wear and tear by not playing in the field.
However, if that’s the case, what will the Yankees do in the outfield this offseason? They’ll need to have a solid backup in right field, whether that’s Heilot Ramos, Spencer Jones (when he’s not playing center field), or someone not currently on the roster.
We also can’t fail to mention that Judge put pressure on the front office, saying they need to go "all-in" to build a World Series roster. If he's healthy, which should be the case, there's no reason why Cashman and Co. shouldn't go out to put the best roster around him.
It's a pivotal offseason for the Yankees. They can't sit on their hands or make marginal moves like they did at the deadline. New York needs to be aggressive as they'll have their captain ready for whenever the 2027 season begins.
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