Who’s Playing Outfield for the Yankees While Aaron Judge Is Out?

With Aaron Judge sidelined by a calf injury, the Yankees have been covering right field and the rest of the outfield mix with Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones, and Heliot Ramos.

The fill-in options

• Cody Bellinger
• Spencer Jones
• Heliot Ramos

Worth noting: Spencer Jones has also been dealing with a sore left foot, according to the latest report, so it’s not clear how large a role he’ll have in the outfield rotation while that’s ongoing.

Why Judge is out

Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, retroactive to Thursday, with a right calf strain affecting the soleus muscle — a muscle Judge says matters a lot for both running and hitting. Neither Judge nor manager Aaron Boone has specified how severe the strain is or given a firm return date, though Judge said he plans to keep throwing and working out in the meantime.

When he could be back

Because the IL stint is retroactive to Thursday, the earliest Judge is eligible to return is the regular-season finale on September 27 against the Orioles — and Judge himself has said the 10th day of his IL stint likely lands on that game. The Yankees have already clinched a postseason spot and are on track to be the top AL Wild Card team, which would set up a Wild Card Series against the Red Sox starting September 29. Judge has named that series as his target for returning.

This is also Judge’s second significant injury this season — he missed months earlier with a fractured right rib before being activated on September 8, and struggled at the plate in his six or seven games back before this calf strain (reports differ slightly, but he was around 4-for-23 with strikeouts in that stretch).

Since neither Judge nor the team has committed to an exact return date, it’s worth checking the official team channels or the sources below closer to September 27 for any update.

Sources / Learn more

• MLB.com
• MLB Trade Rumors

When Is Aaron Judge Expected Back, and Could He Return for a Wild Card Series vs. the Red Sox?

Aaron Judge landed back on the injured list Saturday, this time with a right calf strain — specifically involving the soleus muscle, which Judge himself has said plays a big role in both running and hitting. The IL stint is retroactive to Thursday, which sets a specific earliest possible return date.

When can Judge come back?

Because the IL move is backdated to Thursday, the 10-day minimum runs out around the Yankees’ regular-season finale on September 27 against the Orioles. Judge has said as much himself — that the 10th day of his IL stint likely lines up with that final game. That date is the earliest he could be activated, not a guaranteed return; neither Judge nor manager Aaron Boone has given a firm timeline or said how severe the strain is.

Does that put him back for a Wild Card Series vs. the Red Sox?

The Yankees have already clinched a postseason spot and are on pace to be the top AL Wild Card team, which would set up a possible Wild Card Series starting September 29. Judge has named that date as his personal target for returning. So the timeline works on paper: earliest activation on the 27th, two days before a potential Game 1. Whether he actually plays by then depends on how the calf responds — something the team hasn’t committed to publicly.

What is Judge doing in the meantime?

He’s said he’ll keep throwing and working out to stay on track for that return window. Beyond that, there’s no confirmed detail on a specific rehab schedule.

Why this is Judge’s second IL stint this year

This isn’t his first absence in 2026. Judge missed months earlier in the season with a fractured right rib before being activated on September 8. In the six or seven games he played before this calf injury, he struggled at the plate — one source has him at 4-for-23, though the two available reports don’t fully agree on details, with one also noting 13 strikeouts in that stretch.

Who’s playing in his place?

With Judge out, the Yankees have leaned on Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones, and Heliot Ramos in the outfield. Jones himself has also been dealing with a sore left foot as of the most recent report, which is worth watching alongside Judge’s own recovery.

What to watch for

• September 27 — earliest possible activation date (season finale vs. Orioles)
• September 29 — Judge’s stated target, coinciding with a possible Wild Card Series opener vs. the Red Sox

Neither date is confirmed as his actual return — both are the earliest-possible and the target, respectively. Given how recent this injury is, it’s worth checking for updated team statements closer to the end of the regular season before assuming Judge will be in the lineup.

Sources / Learn more

• MLB.com
• MLB Trade Rumors