If Aaron Judge Needs IL, Yankees Should Give Spencer Jones Another Shot

The Yankees are awaiting more test results on right fielder Aaron Judge, who has been diagnosed with a bone bruise. That makes for the perfect opportunity to call Spencer Jones up again.

Spencer Jones deserves another big-league look if the Yankees are going to place Aaron Judge on the IL. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

And now we play the waiting game. The New York Post's Joel Sherman reports that Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge is scheduled to see a specialist on Wednesday about the bone bruise in his rib cage.

Manager Aaron Boone put Judge on the bench Tuesday for the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, saying the three-time American League MVP has been dealing with the "nagging" injury.

"From talking to people around the Yankees, I think they went to bed on Monday night very worried about this injury and the imaging suggested that the worry isn't as big but it's still significant."@Joelsherman1 on Aaron Judge.

Watch here --> https://t.co/3N7EqvIYmU pic.twitter.com/v5F6uCUS3B

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 2, 2026

"From talking to people around the Yankees, I think they went to bed on Monday night very worried about this injury, and the imaging suggested that the worry isn't as big, but it's still significant," Sherman noted.

"I think an IL stint is probably not out of the question," Sherman added.

Spencer Jones should be Brian Cashman's first call

If that's the case, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has just one move to make: call up Spencer Jones and give him another shot as an everyday outfielder.

Jones had a cup of coffee with the Yankees last month and didn't exactly impress, going 4-for-24 with no home runs and just two RBIs while posting a .426 OPS.

Spencer Jones's first MLB call-up didn't go as planned, but that shouldn't rule out a second chance in the near future. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

But Jones has been cranking with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, as evidenced by his team-leading 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. And don't forget his 2025 season, when he hit 35 home runs while splitting the season between the RailRiders and the Double-A Somerset Patriots.

Scouting report on Jones

MLB Pipeline lists Jones as the Yankees' top outfielder prospect and No. 6 overall in the organization. Its scouting report on the 2022 first-round pick profiles Jones as a boom-or-bust bat.

"Jones has at least plus-plus raw power but also huge contact issues that led to alarming strikeout (35 percent) and swing-and-miss (42 percent) rates in 2025. His combination of bat speed and the strength and leverage in his huge 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame allows him to drive balls out of any part of any ballpark, and he launched balls more than ever last season," according to MLB Pipeline.

"But he also has a naturally long left-handed swing, chases too many pitches and also has trouble consistently putting strikes in play. His struggles against upper-level southpaws last year (.189 average, 43 percent K rate) also are worrisome," MLB Pipeline added.

Too early to give up on Jones

Yes, Jones has 56 strikeouts in 39 games this season with the RailRiders. And yes, he had 12 whiffs in his 24 at-bats with the Yankees. But it's way too early to give up on the power potential of the 6'7" slugger.

Earlier this week, The Athletic's Jim Bowden suggested the Yankees use Jones as trade bait fortwo-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. But Judge's injury shows New York would be wise to hang onto the 25-year-old slugger, at least for the time being—even if the temptation is there.