{"id":801996,"date":"2026-08-04T03:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T03:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/801996\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T03:08:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T03:08:10","slug":"yankees-cashman-on-judge-status-cant-rule-out-anything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/801996\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees’ Cashman on Judge status: Can’t rule out anything"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK — Speaking to reporters minutes after Monday’s trade deadline passed, New York Yankees<\/a> general manager Brian Cashman said he remains hopeful Aaron Judge<\/a> will return from the stress fracture in his right first rib this season but didn’t rule out the possibility that the star slugger may not.<\/p>\n

“I think that question is a fair question on anybody’s side,” Cashman said. “Like is that possible? It’s always possible that things don’t go the way you want, but we currently are still very optimistic that he’s going to return.<\/p>\n

“But there’s challenges with all that, too. While he’s returning, whenever that timeframe is, and ramping him up and getting his timing down, etc., etc. etc. So I can’t rule out any of it.”<\/p>\n

Judge, who has not played in a game since May 31, has yet to resume baseball activities. Cashman said Judge’s status ultimately hinges on what the next imaging of the rib shows. He declined to share when he expects Judge to undergo that scan.<\/p>\n

“I can only follow the guidelines so far that the timeline and the timeframe, it’s a pretty high likelihood and optimism that he fits that timeframe for him to get back and joins us,” Cashman said. “And that’s what I’m hoping and holding on to, and I know that’s what he believes and I know that’s what the doctors believe. But it’s always a moving target, too.<\/p>\n

“And until you get closer to the comfort of deployment of, yes, you can start actually doing physical and baseball activities and you’re cleared, the healing’s enough, etc., that’s when you get a much better picture of how much longer this is going to take. So whenever we reimage, we’ll get a better idea.”<\/p>\n

Judge suffered the injury while diving for a ball on April 26 — his 34th birthday — and played through pain for over a month until it became unbearable.<\/p>\n

Judge was hitting .275 with 16 home runs and a 1.047 OPS in 43 games through May 12, numbers that fell short of his historic production the past two seasons but remained in line with his established standard. That swiftly changed: In his 16 games after that, he batted .180 with one home run and a .550 OPS in 71 plate appearances. He was placed on the 10-day injured list June 5 and transferred to the 60-day IL on July 18.<\/p>\n

The Yankees acquired first baseman Luis Garcia Jr.<\/a> and outfielder Heliot Ramos<\/a> before Monday’s trade deadline to bolster an offense that is without Judge, Giancarlo Stanton<\/a>and Cody Bellinger<\/a>. Since June 1, the first day without Judge, New York ranks 30th in wRC+, 29th in OPS and 26th in runs scored across the majors.<\/p>\n

Garcia, a left-handed hitter, was in the Yankees’ lineup Monday night against the St. Louis Cardinals<\/a>, batting third and playing first base. He is expected to split time between first base and designated hitter with Ben Rice<\/a> against right-handed pitchers. Paul Goldschmidt<\/a> will split the duties with Rice against left-handers.<\/p>\n

Cashman said Ramos is going to play “extensively” against righties and lefties until the Yankees receive their reinforcements from the injured list. Ramos, who has an .835 against lefties this season, could then move to a platoon role against left-handers.<\/p>\n

Stanton, out since late April because of two calf injuries, took live batting practice and ran in the outfield Monday at Yankee Stadium. Bellinger suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain last week and is expected to return in 4-6 weeks. Judge’s status remains up in the air.<\/p>\n

“We have said we’re going to reimage,” Cashman said. “We’re not going to say when that’s going to come, but it’s going to help guide us clearly about where he’s at in that healing process and when we can be in a position to clear him to do more than he’s been able to do thus far because the most important aspect is providing the time to heal. But I’m not going to say when that date is going to be.”br\/]<\/p>\n

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