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A sports medicine physician estimated that Aaron Judge’s recovery from a right first-rib stress fracture could take anywhere from one to three months, depending on a range of factors.
A sports medicine physician has outlined a potentially lengthy recovery timeline for Aaron Judge after the Yankees slugger was diagnosed with a stress fracture of his right first rib. The professional analysis suggests Judge could be sidelined anywhere from one to three months.
The diagnosis carries added concern because the fracture appears to involve basically the same area Judge injured on a diving catch in 2019. According to sports medicine physician Dr. Jesse Morse, the recurrence raises questions about both the recovery process and how aggressively the Yankees can push their superstar to return.
Sports Doctor Breaks Down Judge’s Rib Stress Fracture
GettyManager Aaron Boone said the Yankees will continue evaluating Aaron Judge’s recovery after the three-time AL MVP was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right first rib.
Morse posted a detailed video breakdown shortly after the announcement of Judge’s diagnosis, explaining why the first rib is especially susceptible in power hitters. Multiple muscle groups attach to the bone and pull in competing directions — and in a hitter who generates Judge’s rotational torque, the bone becomes the weakest link.
“He has a stress fracture in the middle of the bone, probably at the groove, we call it,” Morse said, in his explanation of Judge’s injury and return timeline. “Because Judge is such a powerful monster force with generating ridiculous amounts of torque, when he rotates, he’s actually going to pull the different parts of the muscle that are attaching to the first rib apart, and the bone is actually the weakest thing for him.”
Surgery is not required, but healing demands patience, Morse cautioned. Doctors will optimize Judge’s vitamin D levels and likely deploy a PEMF device — a magnetic bone stimulator — to accelerate repair. PRP injections or stem cell therapy around the musculature are also possible, Morse said.
From there, the activity ramp-up follows a staged sequence, from soft toss to light swings, batting practice and live hitting.
“That’s probably going to take anywhere from a month to potentially two months,” Morse said in his video. “Everybody’s a little different, so it just depends on how long it takes him to optimize healing.”
The four-to-six-week re-examination window the Yankees announced is only the first checkpoint. If healing stalls, Morse placed the outer limit at about three months.
“This could easily take 10 to 14 weeks if this doesn’t heal as quickly as they would like it to,” Morse said. A fracture that advances to become a complete break if Judge returns before his rib has fully healed would lead to a disastrous situation for the three-time American League MVP.
GettyCody Bellinger is expected to take on a larger offensive role as the Yankees adjust to life without Aaron Judge, who faces an extended recovery from a stress fracture in his right first rib.
New York Yankees Offense Without Aaron Judge
This year’s roster is better positioned to absorb the blow than any previous version. Strip Judge from every plate appearance and the Yankees still post a 109 wRC+ and a .744 OPS — fourth in MLB, according to an analysis by The Athletic‘s Chris Kirschner. That looks nothing like 2023, when a lengthy Judge injury absence derailed the Yankees’ entire season. The Bronx Bombers missed the postseason entirely that year.
“I think we’re definitely more equipped,” manager Aaron Boone said, as quoted by The Athletic.
Outfielder Jasson Domínguez was set to begin a rehab assignment Friday. Giancarlo Stanton’s best-case return lands around June 16. Cody Bellinger, in particular, will need to step up his production to take up Judge’s slack.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post put it plainly on MLB Now: “This is the best depth they’ve had since 2019 … it’s going to get tested, especially if this is extended.”
Judge’s recovery timeline will become one of the defining storylines of the Yankees’ season. While New York believes it has the depth to withstand his absence this time, the coming weeks could determine whether that confidence is justified, and whether the club remains firmly in the AL East and World Series conversation.
Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist who covers MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, boxing, golf, and Olympic sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Newspaper and Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering the Olympics, pro baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin
