Aaron Judge was supposed to be smashing baseballs all summer. Now, he’s stuck on the bench, and Yankees fans are left holding their breath, wondering just how bad his elbow injury really is. With Judge’s home run surge fueling another American League MVP chase, his absence isn’t just about missing a star.
It’s about the entire direction of the New York Yankees’ 2025 campaign. Can the Bronx Bombers survive without their biggest bat, or does this setback change everything about their race for October?
How Serious Is Aaron Judge’s Elbow Injury for the New York Yankees?
While early reports suggested Judge was dealing with a standard elbow issue, things have taken a turn for the worse. Judge, who has launched 37 home runs and driven in 85 RBI this season, may not be back in the lineup anytime soon. He’s now on the 10-day Injured List with that nagging elbow problem.
Judge has put himself in the thick of the American League MVP conversation. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is challenging him, leading the majors with 41 home runs. Judge’s numbers speak for themselves, though, with a .342 batting average, .449 on-base percentage, and a .711 slugging percentage keep him among the front-runners for the award.
But the bigger issue right now is the severity of his injury.
Listening to sports injury expert Will Carroll break down the news on “Foul Territory” could make any Yankees fan nervous. Carroll made it clear this isn’t your average elbow strain.
“Now that the news comes out that it’s a flexor strain, everybody’s like, ‘Oh, it could have been much worse,’” Carroll said. “No, it couldn’t have. This is much worse than the UCL tear. I know that’s strange to say. For Judge, this is everything.”
Aaron Judge’s injury might be a little more serious than you’ve been lead to believe, according to expert Will Carroll. pic.twitter.com/QcVenhRiMz
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 28, 2025
“Without this, he cannot play, which is why he’s on the IL,” Carroll said. “This doesn’t heal quickly. This small little tendon, which overlaps with the UCL, often takes a month or even more to heal up. He’s not going to be able to throw, that locks him in at DH. Second, we don’t know when he’s going to be able to hit.”
“In this situation, this for Judge, this is bad,” Carroll continued. “For the Yankees, this is bad. I think it’s going to be closer to a month. You know, if we just absolutely take out throwing from this, it’s still going to affect his swing. So, I think we’re going to be able to see in about 15 days how long this is going to take.”
Carroll also pointed out that the Yankees may not know the full timetable for Judge’s return even a week from now. He believes understanding the true length of Judge’s absence could take at least a month.
What Will the Yankees Do at DH if Judge Can’t Throw?
Giancarlo Stanton has been handling designated hitter duties for New York this season. Stanton is hitting .275 with seven home runs and 20 RBI, according to StatMuse. With a .351 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage, he’s provided steady offense.
Should Judge return but only be able to DH, Yankees manager Aaron Boone will have a tough decision to make between Stanton and Judge for the spot in the lineup. This situation could add another layer of complexity to a team already battling health and consistency issues.
Losing Judge for any amount of time will impact the Yankees as they fight to climb back to the top of the American League East. Heading into Tuesday, July 29, New York stands at 57-49, trailing the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays by 5.5 games. The club has gone 4-6 in their last 10 games, showing how much every bat in the order matters right now.
