Aaron Judge's Broken Rib Not Fully Healed
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- Aaron Judge's stress fracture in his right ribs has only partially healed, and the Yankees captain still hasn't been cleared to resume baseball activities.
- Judge hasn't played since May 31 and is awaiting a doctor-determined plan for his return after a scan during the All-Star break showed partial healing.
- Manager Aaron Boone said he feels good about Judge returning, calling it "just a matter of when," before Friday's start of a weekend series against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
- The Yankees were 36-23 when Judge last played but have gone 18-19 since entering the second half, underscoring the team's slide without its captain.
- Giancarlo Stanton (strained right calf) hasn't played since April 24, and left-handers Max Fried (left elbow bone bruise) and Carlos Rodón (left elbow inflammation) are also sidelined.
- Fried was set to make a rehab start Friday, while Clarke Schmidt, recovering from Tommy John surgery, was scheduled to throw an inning of batting practice Saturday.
Why it matters: The Yankees' 36-23 record with Judge in the lineup versus 18-19 without him shows just how much the team leans on its captain. With Stanton, Fried, and Rodón also out, New York's lineup and pitching depth are stretched dangerously thin heading into a marquee series against the Dodgers.
