Aaron Judge's Yankees Future Has Become Increasingly Murky

The New York Yankees are attempting to mount a near-impossible comeback in the Division Series without Aaron Judge, who is sidelined with a calf strain he suffered on Sept. 16.

It's hardly the first time Judge has been out due to injury.

He missed over three months between June and September due to rib stress fracture. He also missed substantial time in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023.

For all of the talk about Giancarlo Stanton being injury-prone, many Yankees fans have overlooked the fact that Judge has been sidelined for extended periods half of the 10 full seasons in his big-league career.

Now 34 years old, Judge's injury history becomes that much more worrisome, especially with his massive 6-foot-7, 282-pound frame.

So what exactly is next for Judge, who we may have seen the last of in 2026?

Well, barring a catastrophic turn of events, the three-time AL MVP will spend the rest of his career in the Bronx. That much we know.

But how will he spend it specifically?

Judge manned right field when he was healthy this season, and it was clear that there was a decline in his defensive capabilities. In fact, Judge has been declining in the field for quite some time now, and sticking him in center field for a huge chunk of 2022 and most of 2024 surely didn't help his case, either.

The Yankees signed Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract after the 2022 campaign largely due to his defensive chops in addition to his historic bat. But they had to know that at some point in the neat future, the hulking outfielder was due for a dropoff.

We're seeing that now, and it makes you wonder just how much New York will allow Judge to play right field in 2027.

If healthy, Judge will be the starting right fielder next season. Make no mistake. But will he play there every day? Or will the Yanks spend a lot of time putting him at DH?

It's complicated, because the Yankees clearly want Ben Rice being their full-time designated hitter with Luis Garcia Jr. at first base. Giancarlo Stanton is also still under contract for next year, but he might just end up being a bench bat.

A Garcia trade is a possibility, but New York really seems to like what he has brought to the table, both offensively and defensively.

Spencer Jones also seems to fit better in right field than he does in center, which makes the possibility of turning Judge into a part-time outfielder that much more appealing. Let's also remember that Heliot Ramos can play right, as well.

It will be very curious to see how the Yankees handle this situation heading into the offseason, because to best preserve the aging Judge, getting him out of the field on a full-time basis is probably the best move.

Judge won't like it, but he may not have much of a choice.