The New York Yankees’ worst fear came true! Aaron Judge is heading to the injured list! Manager Aaron Boone confirmed on Saturday that the MVP is dealing with a flexor strain. It’s his right elbow that has been affected, and he will be sidelined to the IL for now.
One bright side of the news is that UCL is intact, and hence there is no long-term damage. But that’s not to say for the Bronx Bombers, this is huge, because just when they were finding rhythm, their biggest piece had been pulled from the puzzle.
Aaron Judge missed Saturday’s 9-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies after he experienced discomfort that hampered his ability to throw. Judge later returned to the field as a DH, where he was wincing after a throw from the outfield during a win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Then Boone played it down, saying, “He is okay,” but things didn’t improve. And now the Yanks are taking no risks.
Flexor strain is the diagnosis for Judge right elbow. Will go on IL and will likely return as DH. Good news is that the UCL is intact, Aaron Boone said.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 26, 2025
Jon Heyman reported, “Flexor strain is the diagnosis for Judge’s right elbow. Will go on IL and will likely return as DH. The good news is that the UCL is intact, Aaron Boone said.” While that might be a relief for fans fearing the UCL damage, it still leaves the New York Yankees without the defensive force, and it’s concerning when they need to catch up if October is on their minds.
The absence couldn’t come at a worse time for the New York Yankees. Judge is batting .342 with a 1.160 OPS and is locked in a super-tight MVP race with Seattle’s Cal Raleigh. And now, the New York Yankees have to navigate this stretch when they are already six games behind Toronto. And without their best player in the field, that is.
Now, one breather could be the fact that the Yankees recently traded for Ryan McMahon from the Rockies. They did so to bolster their infield defense, and this might help. However, it would be foolish to think that he could replicate Judge’s presence in the outfield. Because he has made several errors in several categories, and the strikeouts in his case are alarming, too. For now, given the trade deadline is right around the corner, GM Brian Cashman may have no choice but to look for an outfield move.
Aaron Judge sits, and the New York Yankees slump deeper
Well, this was not how the New York Yankees hoped their Saturday would go. But with Aaron Judge now sidelined, the Yankees couldn’t muster anything much. With their captain in the lineup, their offense looked lost yet again. And the 9-4 loss to the Phillies just depends on the second-half struggles. Now, sure, Giancarlo did smack a homer, but by then it was a little too far and also too late.
The New York Yankees have dropped to 3-5 since the All-Star break and 14-24 since mid-June. So it’s been rough. And it’s understandable why Aaron Boone has been under the scanner so much. The fans want the answers, and not the skipper of the team flipping out on podcasts! Which also goes on to show the sheer frustration in the clubhouse now. But that aside, now enters Ryan McMahon, making his pinstriped debut.
He said all the right things and mentioned how excited he was. But his first night in, it didn’t scream “impact” right away. Two strikeouts and a walk later, there is much to work on. On the mound, Marcus Stroman couldn’t help either. After four solid starts coming in, he was shaky at best and gave up four runs in under four innings and walked in a run to the Phillies’ No. 9 hitter. So not great!
Philly’s Ranger Suarez, on the other hand, cruised to 5⅔ ⅔ innings and held the Yankees to one run only. And once Philadelphia started piling against the Bronx bullpen, including that two-run bomb by Sosa, there was no chance for the pinstripes. For now, all eyes are on Judge and how long his IL stunt will be. Because a free-fall without him can be expected.
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