Aaron Judge injury update: Why MVP is out of Yankees lineup

Aaron Judge has a bone bruise near his right shoulder, New York manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday before the Yankees game against the Cleveland Guardians. This will be the first game Judge has been out of the Yankees lineup this season.

The team later clarified that the imaging revealed a bone bruise to Judge's rib, not his shoulder. He feels the discomfort in the shoulder. It's not the first time he has had an issue with his right ribs.

The two-time reigning American League MVP underwent imaging Monday. Boone called the injury a nagging issue and said Judge could be back in a few days. A firm timeline will not be set until Judge meets with team doctors later Tuesday.

Yankees depth thin in the outfield

With Jasson Dominguez and Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list, the Yankees are actually very thin in the outfield right now. Tuesday night, Boone will have utility infielder Jose Caballero in right field for Judge. Spencer Jones, who had been called up last month, was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton on May 22 after struggling at the plate.

Aaron Judge's 2026 season

Judge, 34, is hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBI through the Yankees' first 59 games. He's slugging .533 with an .907 OPS.

Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge's injury

“Hopefully, we’ve avoided something serious. But we’ll have an idea more when he meets with the doctor and then as the next couple of days unfold," Boone said to reporters in the Bronx.

Aaron Judge's rib injury history

The Yankees captain played through a partially collapsed lung and a stress fracture of his first right rib during the 2019 postseason. He suffered the injury on a diving catch attempt on an Albert Pujols fly ball on Sept. 18 and received pain injections to get through the playoffs. The fracture was not diagnosed until March 2020, when Judge complained of shoulder soreness during spring training. He missed all of the first part of the COVID-19 interrupted spring training in 2020 with the issue.

This story has been updated with new information.