Full Breakdown
Aaron Judge’s Lower-Leg Exit Raises Stakes for Yankees’ Late-Season Push
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Early Removal from Twins Game
The New York Yankees fell to the Minnesota Twins 5–4 in 13 innings at Target Field. Right fielder Aaron Judge was pulled in the sixth inning after reporting “right lower-leg tightness.” Pinch-hitter Heliot Ramos replaced him. Judge went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before exiting.
Background & Context
Judge missed 84 games after a stress fracture in his right rib was diagnosed in late May and placed on the 60-day injured list in early June. Skipping a minor-league rehab assignment, he was activated later in the month and immediately contributed a three-run homer that helped the Yankees clinch a postseason berth. By the time of his September 16 exit, he had appeared in seven games since returning.
Timeline
- Late May – Rib fracture forces Judge onto the IL.
- Early June – Official IL placement.
- Mid-September – Activated from the IL, returns to the lineup.
- Mid-September – Hits first home run back, Yankees clinch playoff spot.
- September 16 – Exits game vs. Twins with lower-leg tightness.
- Upcoming series at Arizona (scheduled).
- Four-game division-race series vs. Tampa Bay Rays (scheduled).
- Potential Wild-Card matchup against Boston Red Sox (scheduled).
Data & Statistics
- Season line-up: .241/.360/.511, 18 HR, 41 RBI in 66 games.
- Yankees record after loss: 88-64, four games behind the AL East-leading Rays.
- Yankees with Judge: 41-25; without Judge: 47-39.
- Team OPS with Judge (May 31–Sept 7): .770; without him: .681.
Impact on AL East Race
The Yankees sit second in the AL East, trailing the Rays by four games with ten regular-season games remaining. A sweep of the upcoming Rays series would give New York a tiebreaker edge; otherwise they must win nine of their final ten to claim the division. Judge’s health therefore directly influences the Yankees’ ability to mount a comeback in the stretch run and secure a favorable postseason seed.
Official Statements & Responses
Manager Aaron Boone said he was notified of the “little something” Judge felt after the first inning and removed him to avoid “pushing through anything.” Boone added that treatment would begin on the next off-day and that he could not predict whether Judge would miss additional games.
Judge described the issue as a “lower-body” concern that surfaced while playing right field and indicated uncertainty about further testing, stating he “has no idea…probably not.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the planned medical follow-up. Some quote Boone saying treatment will occur on the off-day with no clear timeline, while others note Judge’s comment that imaging is unlikely. No outlet provided a definitive diagnosis, leaving the severity of the leg tightness unconfirmed.
On-the-Ground Reports
Broadcast footage captured Judge grimacing on a check-swing in the third inning and later hobbling while fielding a double in the fifth. He ran to the gap for the play but showed no slowdown before being substituted.
What’s Next
The Yankees have an off-day before the Arizona series, during which Judge will receive treatment. The team then opens a three-game series in Arizona before confronting the division-leading Rays. Depending on his recovery, Judge could return for the Arizona series or be held out to ensure full health for the pivotal Rays matchup and any potential Wild-Card series.