So it’s been revealed! Do you remember the Yankees’ Tuesday night win against the Blue Jays? If you didn’t notice, Aaron Judge was visibly wincing and gripping his right hand after a throw. In the next game, he didn’t play right field and served as a designated hitter. “It’s not much,” said manager Aaron Boone on Wednesday, assuring that the slugger was completely fine.

However, Friday brought a conflicting and concerning development about whether or not Aaron Judge is playing today. It turns out, Judge is not in the Yankees’ Saturday lineup as the Bombers face the Philadelphia Phillies. And the reason has finally been revealed.

According to a recent tweet by YES Network’s Jack Curry, the Bronx captain is facing an “elbow issue,” as manager Boone shared.  While the team awaits the test results, he has been removed from the starting lineup.

Boone previously assured fans that the slugger was “OK” the other night but now added that Judge had trouble throwing the ball from the outfield last night. “He was fine on the off day, and then just last night he was really dealing with it and couldn’t throw well from the outfield. So, he got imaging today and so we’ll kind of wait on that,” he said. This is the first game Judge has missed this season for the Yankees, who are 56-47 and sit 5 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East.

The Yankees are set to face left-hander Ranger Suárez and the Phillies on Saturday. They have lost three out of their last four games, including a 12-5 loss on Friday in the series opener. Meanwhile, Judge is putting up yet another MVP-caliber season for the team. Across 103 games, he’s leading the league with 129 hits and a .342 batting average. In fact, he comes second with 37 home runs and 85 RBIs.

Aaron Judge’s health is crucial for Yankees’ success

Aaron Judge has always been the driving force in the Yankees’ roster. Back in 2017, he smashed 52 home runs across 155 games. Notably, it was his rookie season. “When you get hurt, your main focus is getting back on the field,” he said back then. Apparently, the Bronx star missed significant time while he was battling injuries between 2018 and 2020. He only played around 63% of the games for the Yankees. Except for the COVID-19 stint, Judge had spent significant time on the sidelines due to wrist, oblique, and calf injuries.

Then, interestingly, he appeared in almost 90% of the games, as he was healthy throughout the year. But in June 2023, in a disastrous setback, Judge tore his ligament while making a catch. That injury kept him on the sidelines for 42 games, and the Yankees weren’t at their best without him. They were on pace to conclude the season with a losing record. It clearly signaled how impactful Judge is for the team.

As of 2025, the concern has emerged again after Judge left Friday’s game with “elbow issues.” His throws that night barely crossed 55 mph. It’s noticeably low for someone who has one of the strongest arms across the league.

Will the Yankees be able to bear his absence?