With 11 weeks remaining in the regular season, the New York Yankees face a critical challenge after it was announced that Aaron Judge will be sidelined for at least 10 days due to a right elbow injury. This setback comes at a difficult time as the Yankees find themselves narrowly leading their division by just one game over the Boston Red Sox, while struggling to regain their offensive rhythm.
The Yankees are enduring a rough patch, having lost 12 of their last 20 games, including the most recent three, and now must navigate a demanding schedule without the most potent hitter in Major League Baseball. Despite Judge’s explosive start to the season, the team’s offense has generally shown signs of inconsistency throughout 2025, and his absence only exacerbates the problem.
The Impact of Aaron Judge’s Absence on the Yankees’ Offense
Over the next ten days, the Yankees will be without their star player who leads MLB in numerous offensive categories. Judge tops the league in bWAR (6.7), total hits (129), slugging percentage (.711), OPS (1.160), OPS+ (218), runs scored (90), RBIs (85), batting average (.342), walks (85), on-base percentage (.449), and total bases (268). Losing such a dominant presence drastically weakens New York’s batting lineup during this crucial stretch.
Without Judge, the team’s offensive metrics decline sharply. The Yankees’ batting average falls to .239 across 3,165 official at-bats, while the on-base percentage sits at .320 and slugging drops to .386. Combined, this results in an OPS of only .706 and a collective OPS+ of 97, which is below the Major League average except for a slightly better on-base percentage (.320 vs. .316). These figures highlight how much the team depends on Judge’s contributions to stay competitive.
Yankees’ Offensive Production Plummets in Judge’s Absence
Home run output also suffers without Judge in the lineup. The Yankees have hit 131 homers excluding his, which still edges the MLB average of 118, but falls short in other key stats. The team has recorded only 430 RBIs compared to the league average of 441, and their total bases amount to 1,342 versus an MLB standard of 1,414. This further underscores the offensive gap created by Judge’s injury.
Thankfully for the Yankees, Judge’s injury is not believed to be severe, so a quick return is expected. However, the team’s vulnerability during this period is significant, as they must confront formidable opponents without their leading offensive force. The Yankees’ playoff hopes hinge on how well the rest of the roster can compensate while Judge recovers, making this an anxious and tense phase for the team and its fans alike.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is Aaron Judge so special?
A. Aaron Judge is famous for hitting home runs. He’s one of only five players ever to have three seasons with 50 or more home runs.
Q. Does Aaron Judge know his biological parents?
A. Aaron Judge was adopted through a closed adoption, so he hasn’t communicated with his birth parents. Since starting in Major League Baseball in 2016, the New York Yankees’ standout outfielder has received many awards.
Q. What is so special about Aaron Judge?
A. Aaron James Judge, born on April 26, 1992, plays as an outfielder for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has been selected as an All-Star seven times in MLB and has won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award twice. He also set the AL record for hitting 62 home runs in a single season.
Q. Can Aaron Judge grow a beard?
A. Aaron Judge has stated he will not grow a beard, even though the Yankees have changed their rules about facial hair.