Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided a plethora of updates prior to Sunday’s series finale against the Blue Jays…
On Judge’s progress
Aaron Judge continues to make progress on his road to recovery from a stress fracture in his right first rib .
Judge was able to hit off the tee for a few days before taking yesterday off, but he is expected to resume hitting again before the Sunday matinee in the Bronx.
He has also been running, doing strength stuff, and is responding well.
Though there’s still no timeline, the Yanks remain confident he’ll be back at some point this season.
“The biggest thing for him now is building up the body to get back into playing shape,” Boone said. “It’s more getting the body fully back up to speed more than anything now.”
This week marked Judge’s first time swinging a bat since May 31.
Bellinger’s back, now what with Jones?
Though Judge remains out, the Yankees’ lineup is set to receive a nice boost on Sunday, as Cody Bellinger makes his highly-anticipated return from the IL.
Bellinger missed just under a month with a hamstring injury, but was deemed ready to return after getting in a pair of minor league rehab games this week.
“Excited obviously,” Boone said. “He had a pretty good rehab process where things went smoothly, we feel like he’s been tested properly, got a couple of days worth of at-bats down there so we feel like he’s ready to go.
“A guy who helps us tremendously on both sides of the ball, so to get one of our core guys back is big.”
With Bellinger back in the mix, though, it could mean less consistent playing time for the young Spencer Jones.
Jones has truly settled in during his most recent stint in the majors, but Boone said that there’s a “good chance” he’ll serve in more of a platoon with deadline pickup Heliot Ramos in right field for the time-being.
“Just trying to do what’s best for us everyday,” the skipper explained. “How exactly that unfolds, we’ll see.”
Aug 8, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones (78) reacts after hitting a RBI single against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
Boone feels that Jones is still a work in progress against left-handed pitching, but while there’s still room to grow, he’s held his own during this string of success over the past 25 games.
“He’s made some real adjustments to the league,” Boone said. “I feel like he has a good understanding of his strengths and weaknesses, has a good understanding of the opposing pitchers strengths and weaknesses, and for a young player has done a good job of making the adjustments to help him get better.”
Next steps for Schmidt, good signs from E-Rod
Clark Schmidt continues to make decent progress on his road back to the Yanks, as well.
Boone said that the right-hander will throw a live bullpen session early next week, and if all goes well, he could head out to begin a rehab assignment from there.
Though Schmidt could make sene as a potential rotation fill-in with Ryan Weathers hitting the IL, he likely won’t be stretched out enough to make an impact there.
The Yanks have planned on utilizing him as a reliever down the stretch.
23-year-old top prospect Elmer Rodriguez could also be a potential option, and Boone says the Yanks like what they’ve seen from him over his past few outings in Triple-A.
“He’s been doing a good job,” he emphasized. “He’s even pitching deep into some games down there, him and Brandon Beck as well, have earned the opportunity to certainly be in the conversation and hopefully if they get an opportunity here they can be a part of us winning games.”
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