New York Yankees manager drops Aaron Judge concern before Guardians series

Very notably, New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge is not featured in the team's Tuesday night lineup, as they open up a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. 

When a star like Aaron Judge is randomly out of the lineup, it's usually the cause for some concern, and per Aaron Boone, Aaron Judge is dealing with some shoulder soreness that's been bothering him over the past couple of weeks. This could be an issue to monitor for the Yankees. Even when slumping, Judge is the lifeline for the Yankees. 

Yankees' Aaron Boone drops concerning Aaron Judge words

New York Yankees' reporter Bryan Hoch wrote (via X): "Aaron Judge has been “dealing with some shoulder soreness” for weeks, Aaron Boone said. It became “more than that” during the Sacramento series. Imaging shows a bone bruise. He will meet with a team doctor. Could be a day to day situation, Boone said."

Not a great development for the Yankees, who will likely learn more after Tuesday's game or in the coming days. New York is 36-23, and just 1.0 game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.

Aaron Judge's 2026 stats: .248 average, 17 home runs, 38 RBI, 53 hits, 154 OPS+

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