The New York Yankees welcomed Aaron Judge back to their lineup last week in his return from a right flexor strain he recently suffered. However, while Judge is back in the lineup, he has yet to play in the outfield due to the injury, as he’s only played as the team’s designated hitter since his return.
Judge is still working his way back to full health, so New York is going to be understandably cautious with him when it comes to using him in the outfield. And while Judge is continuing to work hard on getting himself healthy enough to make a return to the field, one MLB insider offered an eye-opening update on his status.
When Will Aaron Judge Return to the Outfield for Yankees?
Judge is known primarily for his exploits at the plate, which isn’t necessarily a surprise given that he hit 62 home runs in 2022 and 58 in 2024. Sure enough, in 2025, Judge has once again been arguably the best hitter in the majors when healthy, as he’s hitting a league-leading .337 with 37 home runs and 86 RBIs.
Beyond that, though, Judge is a strong defender in his native right field position for the Yankees. He’s never won a Gold Glove in his career, but he has a highlight reel full of home run robberies and impressive throw-outs thanks to his incredible arm strength. Having him back in the lineup is certainly a plus, but New York would obviously like to have his glove back at their disposal, too.
All signs indicate that Judge is closing in on a return to the outfield, including the latest scoop from Jon Morosi of MLB Network. While Morosi doesn’t think that Judge will play in the outfield on Monday night when the team opens a new three-game series against the Minnesota Twins, he does believe we will see the superstar slugger back in the field sooner rather than later.
“Soon, but not necessarily tonight,” Morosi said of Judge’s return to the outfield on “MLB Central.” “What I was told in the last 24 hours is that that return to right field is getting closer, but it’s not necessarily going to happen tonight.”
Aaron Judge Closing in on Return to Outfield for Yankees
GettyAaron Judge of the New York Yankees
The Yankees have been floundering as of late, so the sooner they can get Judge back in the field, the better, as they need all the help they can get right now. Of course, he makes quite an impact at the plate as is, but New York relies so heavily on production from Judge, both as a hitter and a defender, that they suffer when he’s not playing at his best.
New York isn’t in full-on panic mode just yet, so they don’t feel the need to rush Judge back onto the field. However, the sooner he can play in the outfield, the better off this team will be. In order for the Yankees to get back on track, they need Judge to be at his best, and thankfully for them, it sounds like a return to the outfield is in the cards for later this week.
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