Yankees star Aaron Judge heads back to injured list weeks after returning from broken rib

As the New York Yankees make a final push for October baseball, slugger Aaron Judge is likely to miss most of the remaining regular season.

The Yankees announced Friday that they plan to place Judge on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain. The move can be backdated to Thursday, which would make the three-time American League MVP eligible to return for the Yankees’ regular-season finale Sept. 27.

Judge has appeared in just 66 games this season after playing more than 150 games in each of the previous two seasons and winning back-to-back American League MVP awards in 2024 and 2025.

AARON JUDGE RETURNS TO YANKEES AFTER 83 GAMES MISSED WITH RIB INJURY AHEAD OF POSTSEASON PUSH

The 34-year-old last played Wednesday in the Yankees’ series finale against the Minnesota Twins. But Judge was removed from the game in the sixth inning because of leg discomfort, though he said afterward that the move was precautionary.

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Judge has one extra-base hit in seven games since returning last week from a broken rib, which kept him out of the lineup for more than three months.

The Yankees continue their latest road trip Friday night playing the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. New York entered Friday night’s action five games behind the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Both the Yankees and Rays have already clinched postseason berths.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.