Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jul 18

Yankees Shift Aaron Judge to 60-Day IL for Fractured Rib as 34-Year-Old Awaits Another Scan

Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jul 18

Yankees Shift Aaron Judge to 60-Day IL for Fractured Rib as 34-Year-Old Awaits Another Scan

Q: What does a specialist's involvement in Aaron Judge's rare rib injury suggest about his actual return timeline?

It suggests Judge’s return is likely later than a routine injured-list stint and will be driven by imaging and symptoms, not the calendar. The Yankees’ use of Dr. Gregory Pearl, a specialist in thoracic outlet syndrome and complex rib-area injuries, signals they are treating this as an uncommon injury that requires a cautious, expert-led recovery plan. The key point is that Pearl’s involvement does not mean a worse diagnosis was confirmed. Judge has said he never believed thoracic outlet syndrome was involved, and the specialist helped confirm the issue as a first-rib stress fracture. But the latest scan still did not clear him for baseball activity, and he needs another scan before he can significantly ramp up. Boone also said Judge must be asymptomatic before upper-body work begins. That combination points to a return that is still weeks away. Even with healing on the scan and Judge saying he feels much better, he remains limited to lower-body work. In practical terms, that makes mid-to-late August the optimistic scenario, with September still possible if symptoms linger or imaging is not fully convincing. So the specialist’s role suggests two things at once: the Yankees avoided the worst-case fear of thoracic outlet syndrome, but Judge’s actual return timeline is still conservative because this rare rib injury must fully heal before baseball activities can safely resume.

Q: Can Clarke Schmidt's comeback from a second major surgery provide the unexpected spark the slumping Yankees bullpen needs?

Yes — if Clarke Schmidt returns in August and is used in relief, he could give the Yankees’ bullpen a real boost, though expecting him to be a full fix would be premature. The case for it is straightforward. Schmidt is progressing well after his second Tommy John surgery, reaching 95 mph in his first live batting-practice inning since last July and lining up another session within days. He has said he is open to returning as a reliever, and that role makes sense on a club whose rotation could soon include Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Max Fried and others. In relief, Schmidt would not need to build starter volume and could impact games sooner. There is evidence the fit could work. Schmidt has been effective in the majors both as a starter and in shorter stints, and his profile — solid command, multiple pitches, ability to limit hard contact — could translate well in a multi-inning bullpen role. For a Yankees team on a seven-game skid and dealing with uneven relief work, that kind of arm could stabilize the middle and late innings. The caution is equally clear. A second Tommy John comeback carries uncertainty, and Schmidt has not yet faced game competition. The Yankees also cannot count on immediate durability or back-to-back usage. So the realistic view is that Schmidt could be an unexpected spark, especially as a multi-inning option, but only if his rehab continues cleanly and the club manages his workload carefully.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 18

May 31 remains Aaron Judge’s last game, and the Yankees said Saturday he still cannot resume baseball activities until another scan clears further ramp-up on his fractured rib.
All-Star break imaging showed healing, but manager Aaron Boone said Judge must become asymptomatic before upper-body work increases; his next scan will depend on how the pain continues to subside.
36-23 was New York’s record when Judge went down, but the Yankees are 18-20 since; the 60-day move was procedural to free a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Bradley Hanner.
95 mph came from Clarke Schmidt in his first live batting practice since Tommy John surgery, while Giancarlo Stanton is progressing from a calf strain and Max Fried is lined up for another rehab start.
21-year-old shortstop George Lombard Jr. also returned at Triple-A with a homer, giving the Yankees another possible roster option as they wait on several injured regulars.