Cashman says he’s optimistic Aaron Judge can return this season, but admits it may not happen

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday that he is optimistic that Aaron Judge will return to baseball this season, but he also acknowledged the real possibility that the slugger may not. Judge has been sidelined for more than two months after suffering a stress fracture in his upper-right rib, leaving New York to manage without its most important power bat and run-producer down the stretch.

Cashman’s comments, reported by Yahoo Sports, put a spotlight on a familiar late-season dilemma for contenders: when a star player is rehabbing an injury that affects contact and swing mechanics, the timeline is rarely a straight line. While the Yankees are clearly planning as if Judge could be available again, Cashman’s acknowledgment that he might not return indicates that the organization is treating a potential return as conditional on health and baseball readiness rather than a deadline-based target.

For the Yankees, Judge’s status carries weight beyond home runs and extra-base hits. As the team’s central figure in the batting order, his presence changes how opposing pitchers approach the middle of the lineup, what pitches get thrown in high-leverage counts, and how defenses set up for the next batter. Even in games where his counting stats do not surge immediately after a comeback, the threat of his at-bats can influence innings for everyone around him.

The injury also forces the Yankees to make decisions about workload and lineup construction in Judge’s absence. When a hitter of this caliber misses extended time, teams often redistribute at-bats among other regulars and prospects, then decide whether to keep those roles stable as the season shifts toward its most important weeks. If Judge returns, the Yankees will have to determine how to balance his playing time with the form and health of the hitters who have filled in, while also managing the overall rhythm of the offense.

From Judge’s perspective, a stress fracture involves more than simply returning to the field. Ribs are part of the body’s framework during rotation, and baseball at-bats require repeated torque through the torso. That reality explains why front offices and medical teams typically take a cautious approach, and why Cashman’s phrasing matters: optimistic does not mean certain, and acknowledgement of “might not” reflects that the final call can depend on symptoms during progression and the ability to swing without aggravation.

What to watch next is how the Yankees handle the days leading up to any potential activation. While the public comments establish optimism, they also leave room for adjustments if the recovery process takes longer than expected or if baseball activities cannot be completed at full intensity. In practical terms, the organization’s next updates will likely revolve around readiness, how he feels through increasing baseball work, and whether the plan can be completed in a way that protects both performance and durability.

For now, New York lives in a holding pattern with a major piece of its lineup. Cashman’s message suggests the Yankees are not closing the door on Judge, but they are also preparing for the possibility that this season ends without him back in pinstripes. That combination of hope and realism may define the team’s decision-making until the final medical and baseball-readiness milestones are met.