Aaron Judge has missed 84 games this year and hasn’t played since late May. Although the New York Yankees managed to stay afloat in his absence – thanks in part to the team’s excellent pitching – it became clear how much they missed their captain in the lineup.
But that’s a thing of the past now. Judge has been activated and will return to action tonight (Tuesday) at Yankee Stadium against the Colorado Rockies.
The Yankees have reinstated Aaron Judge from the injured list in 60 days! pic.twitter.com/6pWTWlPjBa
— MLB (@MLB) September 8, 2026
With just a few weeks left in the season, this will certainly bring some excitement to the Bronx as the postseason approaches. Because the Yankees offense has changed since Judge went on the injured list.
In June—their first month without the 34-year-old in the lineup—the Bombers hitters posted a collective OPS of .680. The situation worsened in July, when the team scored just .660 in this category. The Yankees did slightly better in August, posting an OPS of .699, but remained in the bottom half of the league in that category.
Judge, who has posted four straight seasons with an OPS above 1.000, should help New York get back on track. As evidence, the Yankees posted collective OPS numbers of 0.766 and 0.793 in April and May, respectively.
So it’s clear just how much of a difference Judge makes—not just because of his individual stats, but also because of the protection he provides to the other hitters in the lineup.
This is especially true given the Big Apple’s current position in the standings, as they are chasing the Tampa Bay Rays for the lead of the American League East and also have the Boston Red Sox hot on their heels.
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