Aaron Judge will not be undergoing offseason surgery for his elbow injury.
Manager Aaron Boone confirmed as much Thursday and told reporters, “He actually had an MRI after the season, showed continued improvement in the flexor muscles. And he finished the season doing pretty well. No surgery is going to be needed for Aaron, he’ll take some time off and continue to do strengthening things and rehab.”
Judge missed time in late July and early August with a tendon strain in his right elbow and then returned as a designated hitter so the Yankees could have his bat in the lineup even though he wasn’t ready to throw at full capacity.
However, he eventually made his way back to the outfield and helped lead the team to the American League Division Series.
Despite missing 10 games, Judge still put up MVP numbers while slashing .331/.457/.688 with 53 home runs, 114 RBI 137 runs scored and 124 walks. He led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, walks and runs, and it would be anything but surprising if he adds a third American League MVP to his resume.
If he does, that will mark three MVPs in the last four years for the seven-time All-Star.
About the only thing missing from Judge’s resume is a World Series trophy, and that will surely be the goal the Yankees build toward as they approach the offseason. Knowing he will not need to undergo surgery and should be fully healthy is a positive, as it decreases any concerns about outfield depth.
That still could be a concern, though, as ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported Cody Bellinger plans to opt out of his contract to test free agency.
If the Yankees do end up having to replace Bellinger, they can at least take solace knowing their best player will avoid surgery and should be good to go at the start of the 2026 campaign.
