Boone has no timetable for Aaron Judge’s return as Yankees offense strains again vs. Boston

Aaron Boone offered an uncomfortable update on Aaron Judge’s recovery, saying there is no timetable for the three-time AL MVP’s return after rib trouble. The Yankees manager’s comments came ahead of the series finale against Boston, and they underscore the same theme that has surrounded New York since Judge went on the injured list in early June: even when progress is being made, the timeline has not caught up to the urgency of October aspirations.

Boone indicated Judge is doing baseball-related and strength work, including time in the weight room, and that his ramp-up has progressed since the initial IL stint. Still, the absence of a timetable means the Yankees are left in a holding pattern, planning around a lineup reality that does not yet include their most reliable run producer and the stabilizing force he typically brings to late-game situations.

The ripple effects extend beyond Judge’s absence. According to the report, Ben Rice has been in a slump or “funk,” and Austin Wells’ season-long struggles have continued. For a team trying to sustain consistent scoring, prolonged gaps in production from key complementary bats can force more at-bats onto less-tested profiles, increasing variance as opponents adjust their approach to the Yankees’ shifting lineup construction.

The offense’s recent results also reflect the challenge of replacing Judge’s impact, even when New York has found ways to win. Entering Sunday night, the Yankees had scored four or more runs three times in their previous 10 games, winning all three. They lost each of the other seven games, a sharp indicator of how thin the margin has been when the team’s bats do not produce early or when rallies fail to materialize at critical points.

The pitching has kept the team in games at times, but the reported run-scoring drought has been matched by a concerning sequence of shutouts at the plate. The Yankees were reported to have been no-hit through four innings in each of the last three games. In one of those contests, Sonny Gray was noted for going 7.1 innings without allowing a hit, a detail that reinforces how fully opposing staffs have been able to neutralize New York when the lineup is most vulnerable.

Taken together, Boone’s no-timetable message and the broader offensive indicators raise the stakes for what comes next. Judge’s role is not easily absorbed, but the Yankees cannot simply wait for him while hoping the supporting cast maintains enough momentum to keep the team’s season trajectory intact.

The immediate watch items are straightforward but consequential: whether New York’s lineup can generate offense without Judge, whether Wells and Rice can break out of their stretches, and whether the Yankees can avoid becoming overly dependent on a few scoring bursts when the rest of the offense is constrained. Judge’s progress in the weight room suggests work is ongoing, but until a clearer return window emerges, New York’s ability to create runs will define how quickly the team’s posture changes.

For now, the Yankees’ message is clear: Judge is progressing, but the schedule of his return is uncertain. That uncertainty is where the pressure sits, and it will continue to shape lineup decisions and in-game strategy until New York receives a more definitive update from its medical and performance staff.