When Aaron Judge returned on September 8 after missing 84 games, he lasted just five pitches before striking out. But Yankee Stadium didn’t seem to care. If anything, he received a standing ovation as he walked off the field. You see, we had waited 99 days for him to return. We knew he wouldn’t be the same right off the bat, having also denied the idea of a rehab assignment. His mere presence was an optimistic sign as the MLB world moves closer to October, though. With what happened on Wednesday, however, many are questioning those decisions.

For Judge, a rehab assignment was a waste of at-bats when the team, despite clinching the playoff berth, still needed help. For Aaron Boone, having his star play some portion of the game rather than none at all was, obviously, much better. Yet, he got him to face live pitches, hoping that would help him get back to speed. It didn’t. And now, the Yankees are left wondering when Judge could return, as MLB insider Jeff Passan gives them a reality check about October.

“This throws everything into flux for the New York Yankees,” said Jeff Passan on Sportscenter. “They’ve been banking on Aaron Judge’s return for months now. And to see him not just limping out of the game, but needing to go on an injured list here, it’s devastating.

“Frankly, because they wonder now what, if anything, are they going to get from Aaron Judge in October? The rest of the regular season, for all intents and purposes, is done.”

During the Yankees’ 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins, tightness in his right lower leg forced Judge to exit the game in the sixth inning. Judge later revealed that he first felt discomfort in the first inning and tried to play it off initially. However, it persisted, and he told skipper Aaron Boone about the issue. Not wanting to take any further risks, Boone pulled Judge and sent Heliot Ramos as a pinch-hitter. The Yankees captain was also caught grimacing on camera before he left the game. But Judge apparently believes he knows what caused it.

CBS Sports’ Eric Samulski mentioned that Judge believes the calf injury was a nagging spring training issue that crept up. During the Wednesday game, it recurred during defense, according to Judge. The veteran also didn’t wish to go under any imaging, hoping that his removal was just a precaution and not a serious matter.

“Once you start ramping up, things pop up,” Judge had told the reporters. “Hopefully, it’s just one little thing, and we’re back out there soon.”

That changed rather quickly.

What could be Aaron Judge’s return timeline

With the symptoms continuing, Boone got Judge to get examined, and it turned out to be a calf strain. With Thursday off, the Yankees planned to give him extensive treatment before delivering a verdict. Apparently, things were more serious than the Yankees’ expectations, as the team announced that Judge will return to the 10-day IL with a right calf strain.

The Yankees said that they will make the roster move on Saturday; Judge’s IL placement will likely be backdated to Thursday. In that case, Judge would be eligible to return on September 27, the final day of the regular season, giving him a chance to be active for the postseason.

If not, as Passan pointed out, “the Yankees are going to have a serious decision to make before setting their playoff roster.” However, it all depends on how well Judge recovers. Manager Aaron Boone seemed unable to give reassurances at this time.

“I don’t know,” Boone said, per ESPN. “I don’t have a timeline on him. He’s on the IL now. I’m not going to predict anything. He’s getting treated, and we’ll see what transpires.”

Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees after missing 84 games since May 31 with a stress fracture in the first rib on his right side. He skipped a Minor League rehab assignment and instead returned after taking live batting practice. After only playing seven games, that decision is surely becoming a part of the conversation, despite there being no evidence that skipping a rehab assignment caused the injury.

Judge missing rehab assignment is now raising eyebrows as the Yankees hope to push the final stretch without him

To ensure that Judge was hundred percent ready to make a return, he was given a rehab assignment. But Judge was adamant that he did not want to go through it.

“I don’t see a point. Why waste at-bats?”

Judge was cleared for baseball activities in August, but Boone kept him out. However, Wednesday’s injuries raise many questions. Most importantly, what version of Judge would the Yankees get when he returns in October?

On paper, the Yankees have held on well enough to clinch the postseason spot without Judge in the lineup. However, the offense has stumbled greatly without the captain. As a team, the Yankees batted .227 with an OPS of .681, ranking towards the bottom of the league.

Aaron Judge’s return did not magically fix all the issues the lineup had. Since his return, Judge has gone 4-for-23, with a homer and 3 RBI, while batting just .174 across his last 7 games. It’s nowhere near his MVP-level performance from 2025, but his presence alone gives the Yankees lineup a boost they desperately need.

It’s expected that Heliot Ramos will take his place in the lineup, and even if Judge returns, he might be placed as the designated hitter, not as the starting right fielder, something that the Yankees would certainly want.

With Judge out, the Yankees’ hopes of clinching the AL East title are also slim. They are five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, the AL East leaders. As the Yankees begin a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, fans will keep a keen eye on how the lineup performs after receiving the latest blow.