The wait is officially over in New York. Aaron Judge is back on the field for the Yankees after missing more than three months with a fractured rib, and while his first game didn’t produce a big moment at the plate, New York still walked away with an important win. Judge returned to the lineup Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees defeated the Colorado Rockies 5 to 3.
Judge received a standing ovation as he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat in more than three months. He started in right field and batted third in the Yankees lineup, but there was some expected rust after such a long absence. Judge finished the night 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a flyout before being taken out after six innings. It wasn’t the explosive return Yankees fans might have hoped for, but simply seeing number 99 back on the field was a major step forward.
Judge had been out since the end of May after dealing with a fractured rib that originally happened while making a diving catch in April. He initially tried to play through the injury before eventually being shut down, and there were questions throughout the summer about whether he would be able to return this season. Judge finally resumed baseball activities in August and worked his way back without going on a minor-league rehab assignment.
Even though Judge didn’t provide the offense in his return, his teammates made sure the night ended with a victory. Ryan McMahon delivered a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning, while Cam Schlittler gave New York seven strong innings on the mound. Then came one of the biggest moments of the night in the eighth inning, when Heliot Ramos, who had replaced Judge in right field, launched a three-run home run to give the Yankees some much-needed insurance.
Judge’s return comes at an important point in the season for New York. The Yankees managed to stay in playoff position during his absence, but the offense hasn’t been the same without its biggest power threat. Before getting injured, the three-time American League MVP was hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs through 59 games. Now the Yankees have the final stretch of the regular season to get their captain comfortable at the plate again before October arrives.
The first night back wasn’t about Judge putting up huge numbers. After missing 84 games, it was about getting back onto a major-league field, seeing live pitching again and beginning the process of finding his rhythm. The Yankees also plan to be careful with his workload as he works his way back to playing full games.
Aaron Judge may have gone hitless in his return, but the bigger picture is what matters for New York. The Yankees got the win, their captain is finally healthy enough to play again, and one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters is officially back for the stretch run.
Now the question isn’t when Aaron Judge will return.
It’s how quickly number 99 can get back to being Aaron Judge.