Aaron Judge update: Yankees captain still not cleared to resume baseball activities

The Yankees received an update on Aaron Judge on Friday, and it was mixed news for a team that has been looking to have its captain fully available. According to the report, recent imaging showed some healing in Judge’s ribs, but he still has not been cleared to begin baseball activities. The team is expected to seek another opinion before determining the next phase of his recovery plan.

The distinction between “healing” and “cleared” matters. Baseball activities typically include more structured movement and baseball-specific tasks, which are usually only advanced once doctors are comfortable that an injury is stable enough for the demands of throwing, swinging, and game speed. In the meantime, Judge remains in a holding pattern, with the Yankees using the additional medical input to reduce the risk of a setback.

Judge’s status also has practical implications for the Yankees’ day-to-day approach at the plate. As their most central offensive presence, his absence or limited availability can affect lineup construction, run production balance, and the distribution of at-bats among the rest of the core. The team will continue to manage roles while waiting for the clearance that would allow him to begin baseball activities and, eventually, progress toward a return timeline.

Beyond Judge, the update also referenced two other Yankees storylines tied to the organization’s longer arc. One item noted that a prospect named Lombard is ranking highly among baseball prospects, a reminder that the Yankees’ pipeline continues to generate players with top-of-the-board attention. While this does not replace a star-level impact immediately at the major-league level, it shapes organizational depth and future roster decisions.

The report also mentioned that Fried made a rehab start. Rehab starts are typically used to rebuild a pitcher’s workload gradually, testing stamina and effectiveness in game conditions. Even without further detail here, the general purpose is clear: the Yankees can better evaluate readiness once a starter’s throwing and performance line up with the next step in the team’s return-from-injury plan.

For Yankees fans, the immediate takeaway is that Judge’s progress is encouraging on the imaging front, but his return process is still not at the stage where baseball activities can begin. The next meaningful milestone is medical clearance after the Yankees obtain another opinion. After that, the team’s plan will likely become more concrete, as activities and progression toward live batting and/or game action usually follow a step-by-step structure.