Aaron Judge Is Back: New York Yankees Activate Slugger After Injury

The New York Yankees are getting a team captain back after an extended absence. Aaron Judge has been activated.

The team announced the news on Sept. 7. The team confirmed that it had activated Judge from the 60-day Injured List, where he has spent his time recovering from a fractured rib.

To make room for Judge on the roster, the Yankees have designated right-handed pitcher Chase Hampton for assignment.

No further questions, Your Honor. pic.twitter.com/9VL7uaefXW

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 8, 2026

The current expectation is that Judge will be back in the lineup for the start of Tuesday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies. How much he plays remains to be seen after the team previously indicated that it could ease him back into action with five or six innings of work.

The most important part of Judge’s return will be how he contributes on offense. The slugger helped the Yankees go 36-23. They then went 45-39 without him while ranking 26th in runs scored.

“We’ve had long stretches where the offense has struggled. I think a big part of that is not having your guy,” manager Aaron Boone said before the team activated Judge.

“I also feel like that’s ticked up here in the past couple of weeks, where we’ve really started to play better offensively. We certainly look forward to getting our guy back.”

The return of Judge will be significant for a team that hopes to steal the American League East from the Tampa Bay Rays.

At 81-62, the Yankees are just behind the 85-58 Rays. These two teams will also face off in a four-game series in late September.

Chasing down the Rays will not be a simple task, but Judge’s return should make the Yankees more confident while pursuing this goal. After all, he will contribute in right field and as the plate as a batter.

The Polymarket traders are not yet convinced that the Yankees will mount a comeback and take the AL East from the Rays. These traders still view the Rays as heavy favorites at 75%.

The Yankees are second in the Polymarket rankings at a mere 21%. The Red Sox sit at 2% while the Blue Jays are just behind at 1%. The Orioles have already been eliminated after posting a 70-75 record.

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