Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Aaron Judge Returns to Outfield

New York Yankees heavy hitter Aaron Judge is back in his usual position.
Delilah Bourque|
Aug 31, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) watches his double against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) watches his double against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

The New York Yankees finally have their captain and superstar slugger, Aaron Judge, back where he belongs in right field.

MLB.com insider Bryan Hoch shared on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that Judge will return to the outfield for the Yankees' game against division one of the Pinstripes' division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays.

The timeline for Judge's return had been uncertain up to this point, with Yankees manager Aaron Boone not able to give a confirmed return date, even though the team initially claimed the injury was fairly minor. Judge suffered a right flexor strain nearly six weeks ago and did a full stint on the 10-day injured list. Since returning from the IL, he's only been in the lineup as designated hitter, leading Giancarlo Stanton to fill in at right (and later, left) field.

Stanton will be back in his usual spot at DH for the matchup against the Blue Jays. Judge will be hitting third in the lineup, with Stanton at fifth. While Stanton had been doing a commendable job in the outfield, playing at positions he had not played since 2023, the 16-year MLB veteran is prone to lower-body injuries and is generally kept at DH.

This season, Stanton is slashing .283/ .362/ .609 with 18 home runs this season, while Judge is slashing .322/ .442/ .663 with a whopping 43 homers. Judge is also on the verge of surpassing Yankees legend Yogi Berra to record the fifth-most home runs as a Yankee in the team's long history. Keeping both Stanton and Judge's bats in the lineup has been an essential part of the Yankees' recent strategy to break a mid-season slump.

Judge's return is at the perfect time for the Yankees. They're hot on the Blue Jays' tail feathers for first place in the AL East and leading the AL Wild Card standings, though the Boston Red Sox are only half a game behind. Toronto has been a major thorn in the Yankees' sides this season, with the Pinstripes only winning three of 10 contests between the two teams. In addition to this series against the Blue Jays, New York also plays a series against the Red Sox before the regular season ends.

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Delilah Bourque
DELILAH BOURQUE

Delilah Bourque is a writer and copyeditor based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. After a few years in corporate marketing, she joined On SI as a full-time copyeditor and contributor to the New York Yankees On SI, as well as occasional contributions across the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers on SI.

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