Wed Aug 06 02:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Yankees Star Aaron Judge Returns from Injury Amid Team Struggles
**ARLINGTON, Texas -** The New York Yankees are set to activate captain Aaron Judge on Tuesday, providing a much-needed boost to a team struggling to regain its footing in the AL East race. Judge, sidelined since July 25 with a flexor strain in his right elbow, is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list and will initially serve as the designated hitter, according to Manager Aaron Boone.
The announcement comes on the heels of the Yankees’ fourth consecutive loss, an 8-5 extra-innings defeat against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Boone expressed hope that Judge’s return could help turn the tide for the team, which has gone 4-7 in his absence.
“Judge tomorrow,” Boone stated after the game, offering no further details about his return.
Judge, who boasts a league-leading .342 batting average along with 37 home runs and 85 RBIs, felt the initial pain in his elbow during a July 22 game in Toronto. An MRI later revealed no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, and he received a platelet-rich injection on July 27.
The Yankees’ roster will have an open spot due to outfielder Austin Slater being placed on the injured list with left hamstring tightness. Slater, recently acquired from the Chicago White Sox, was injured during Monday night’s game.
Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees’ primary designated hitter before Judge’s injury, will likely remain out of the outfield to accommodate Judge’s return to the DH role.
The Yankees have struggled significantly since mid-June, posting an 18-28 record. They have fallen to third place in the AL East, 5.5 games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays, and are currently 2.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for a wild-card spot with 49 games remaining in the regular season.
“We’ve got to play better, and we’ve got to win, and we know that,” Boone acknowledged. The team hopes that Judge’s return will provide the spark they need to climb back into contention.
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