New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge revealed positive news on his recovery from a stress fracture in his right rib after undergoing a re-imaging procedure during the All-Star break. While no return date has been made official, Judge expects to be back in the lineup within this season.

Aaron Judge further added that Wednesday’s re-imaging showed progress in healing, but it’s not enough for the team to clear him yet. His return timeline could span between mid-August and late August or even September, depending on his rehab.

The 34-year-old is believed to have sustained the injury during a diving attempt against the Houston Astros in the April 26 game. Following the incident, his discomfort grew, which ultimately landed him in IL in late May after their game in Sacramento.

On Friday, Judge said that the Yankees are waiting for the green signal from Dr. Gregory Pearl to resume baseball activities. The Yankees team physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad, has already reviewed his recent imaging.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has expressed excitement to have Aaron Judge back in the lineup within the season. He said it’s “just a matter of when” the captain will be back, but they will still approach with caution.

Judge expressed that “it’s been the worst,” not being able to play for the team and justify his $360M deal. However, he doesn’t expect to play in rehab games, saying, “Why waste at-bats in a rehab game?” He doesn't want it to be like Spring Training and will speak to the trainers and Boone about that.

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