Aaron Judge Injury Concerns Deepen as Yankees Seek High-Power Ribcage Imaging
The New York Yankees are facing a tense, high-stakes situation as superstar slugger Aaron Judge undergoes further diagnostic testing for what was initially described as a "nagging" bone bruise near his upper right rib cage. Judge was held out of the starting lineup on June 2 and June 3, 2026, against the Cleveland Guardians, casting an ominous shadow over the Yankees' season as they battle to climb back into the American League East race.
According to manager Aaron Boone, Judge had been playing through minor shoulder soreness for several weeks. However, the discomfort worsened during a late May series in Sacramento, visibly impacting his swing. The three-time AL MVP is currently hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs in 59 games, but has slumped significantly, hitting just one home run since May 10.
After a team physical on June 2, Judge was sent to a New York-based specialist on June 3, who recommended high-power imaging on specific spots in his right rib cage to seek clarity. The situation is triggering anxiety for Yankees fans, recalling March 2020 when a mysterious rib issue was eventually diagnosed as a stress fracture.
To bolster their roster amid these injury concerns, the Yankees announced they are transitioning their top pitching prospect, 23-year-old right-hander Carlos Lagrange, from a starter to a bullpen role at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Lagrange, who is rated as the Yankees' No. 2 prospect, features an electric fastball that averages 98.9 mph and has topped out at 103.0 mph. The club hopes he can serve as a high-velocity weapon in the major league bullpen later this season.