The New York Yankees have been navigating choppy waters. But as luck couldn’t be any worse, came the gut punch—Aaron Judge is headed to the injured list with a right elbow issue. The rumors of him heading to IL were already in the rumor mill, and when confirmed, they led to a massive panic across Yankee Nation.

Because –elbow—that word alone is enough to set off alarm bells. Especially for someone with the Yankee captain’s throwing arm and power swing. So it was not long because speculation on a torn UCL and Judge needing Tommy John surgery made rounds. Could his MVP season be over?

Judge has been having a historic season, slashing .342 with 37 homers. So the thought of losing him to a long-term elbow issue felt like an apocalyptic end for the team, at least for this season. However, the silver lining is the news that it is a flexor strain and not a torn ligament. And Dr. Brian Sutterer, an expert sports physician, also confirmed that there is not much to worry about.

Dr. Sutterer, who is known for breaking down athlete injuries, broke down Judge’s injury details, too. In his video analysis, Sutterer reassured fans, saying, “There’s a lot more stuff that can happen to a throwing athlete, especially that is not nearly going to be as concerning as a UCL injury. And in this case, I think Judge has come out on the fortunate side.”

He also gave his expert opinion on recovery time, believing that if everything goes well, the player should be able to start throwing in the outfield again in about 2 to 4 weeks, maybe 3 to 4 weeks. “There is nothing we need to worry about at face value for long-term UCL problems,” Dr. Sutterer added.

Even skipper Aaron Boone had chimed in and confirmed, telling reporters after the loss to the Phillies that it is a flexor strain. And nothing to do with the ligament. Boone added that when Judge returns, he would return as a DH initially and work that position for a while. So you can see the Yankees are treading carefully after having a huge scare.

Still, at any stretch, without Judge, the roster is in deep water. He is not just the guy with some eye-watering stats; he is the one keeping the team together and breathing easier. Without his glove in the right field and his bat in the lineup, the margin of error is thin. And the Yanks have already fallen behind the AL East and trail the Blue Jays by six games. So for now, the Yankees fans are still holding their breath.

What’s the Yankees’ plan without Aaron Judge?

With Aaron Judge on IL, the Yankees are, of course, looking around to see—so what’s now? Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies was the first test sans Judge in the right field. So, no easy plug-and-play solution, just some lineup shuffling and creative thinking. But then enters Cody Bellinger! Yes, the former MVP, the Golden Globe guy, the lefty bat that the Yankees just brought in.

Normally a first baseman, but if there is one thing Bellinger does well, it’s cover ground in the outfield. So Aaron Boone got him in right, went with Trent Grisham in center, and for the left gave a shot to Jasson Dominguez. So, that’s the build-up in the outfield for now, anyway. Now, Amed Rosario, who the Yankees recently got from the Rays, also joined the mix on Sunday. But he is an infield solution, and the outfield is still thin. Unless Giancarlo Stanton ends up back in the field, which is not ideal for now, the Yankees are in a revolving situation. Maybe Spencer Jones can get a call-up, but even he is dealing with a back issue in Triple-A.

As for Judge, Boone says that there is a chance that he will be back after a minimum of 10 days. But if history says anything, sometimes it starts with that timeline and then stretches to months. The Bronx will be hoping that’s not the case. And even if he returns, he will DH, as Boone mentioned, so Stanton may need to play defense. The 35-year-old hasn’t touched the outfield grass since 2023, so it is concerning.

Getting Judge back is the priority now, though. He’s leading the league in average (.342), OPS (1.160), and WAR (6.8) and has already managed 37 homers. For now, Yankees might have to hold on tight.