How long is Aaron Judge out? Elbow injury timeline, return date, latest updates on Yankees slugger

The Yankees were teetering in second place in the AL East when star outfielder Aaron Judge suffered an elbow injury shortly after the All-Star break. New York had been slumping in the summer, with a second-worst 14-23 record since June 13, and the injury to Judge will create even more of an uphill battle with the postseason nearing. 

Judge was officially placed on the IL on Sunday. Elbow injuries are always a cause for concern in baseball because everyone's first thought is Tommy John surgery. New York fans are all too familiar with it as ace Gerrit Cole is missing the entire 2025 season due to a torn UCL he had at the beginning of the year. 

Here's what we know about Judge's injury and what it means for the Yankees moving forward. 

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What is Aaron Judge's injury?

Judge was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow. It should be noted that his UCL is intact, so while the initial worry was that he would need Tommy John surgery, the New York outfielder will likely avoid that outcome, pending a second opinion. 

Judge suffered the injury in the sixth inning of New York's game against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, July 22. He started to take some medicine to try and relieve the pain and was trying to avoid the IL stint. With no improvement, the Yankees added him to the injured list. 

How long will Aaron Judge be out?

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Judge is expected to return to the lineup as soon as Monday, Aug. 4.

The return timeline for the flexor strain can greatly vary. It's in his throwing arm, so there is likely a different timeline for when Judge can return to the lineup and when he can return to the field. Typically, players won't throw for at least 10 days to rest their elbows. He may just need a couple of weeks of rest to get back to the outfield, but he should be able to return to the batter's box much sooner. 

Even before Judge hit the injured list, he wanted to stay active and hit. He admitted he couldn't throw, but he was willing to try to hit. Judge said in an interview that he will be re-evaluated for hitting at the 10-day mark.

One of the options thrown around for players trying to rest their elbow is having them play first base. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that isn't in the plan for Judge. Instead, the plan is for him to return after the minimum 10-day stay on the IL and then be the DH. This would force Giancarlo Stanton into the outfield for the first time since 2023, when he played 33 total games there. The potential problem is that Stanton started the 2025 season on the IL with tendon pain in both of his elbows. 

Boone was asked if there was worry about Stanton's elbows in the outfield, after the DH said he would endure the pain in his elbows this season instead of getting surgery. Boone said, "I mean, not right now, no. We'll see as we go. He'll start working out there this week a little bit. Just to be an option if and when Aaron gets back and however long he has to DH until he gets to the outfield. So, if there's things that come up, then we'll adjust. But I'm not anticipating that."

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Who will replace Aaron Judge?

Statistically? Probably nobody. Judge was once again in the conversation for AL MVP, and nobody thinks that the Yankees are going to be able to slot in a player who is going to be expected to replicate that production.

To fill the spot in the outfield and lineup, though, the Yankees will rely on their depth. New York already had a multitude of outfielders. Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Judge, and Stanton are five players for three outfield spots and a designated hitter.

The Yankees' first choice has been to go with Bellinger in right field. This helps keep Stanton at DH. When someone needs a day off, recently acquired Amed Rosario can slot into the outfield if needed. 

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