Aaron Judge will likely return to right field Monday when the Yankees open their series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, manager Aaron Boone told reporters. Giancarlo Stanton will serve as the designated hitter.
The two-time AL MVP has been strictly a DH this weekend against Boston at Fenway Park after making his defensive return Sept. 5 for the first time since sustaining a right flexor strain. That injury kept him off the field for more than six weeks.
Judge didn’t miss a beat at the plate during his defensive absence. He’s still the heavy favorite for his third AL MVP award, slashing .325/.447/.673 with 47 home runs and 101 RBI.
Aaron Judge will likely return to right field tomorrow in Minnesota, Aaron Boone said. Giancarlo Stanton will DH.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 14, 2025
Judge has made four appearances in right field since his return, most recently Thursday against Detroit. But his first game back against Toronto on Sept. 5 raised some eyebrows when he didn’t challenge a runner at the plate in the first inning.
Instead, he flipped the ball to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. following Nathan Lukes’ two-run single. Judge insisted his arm is fine, saying: “Everything is feeling pretty good, so if you can throw, you’ve got to get out there,” per Hoch.
The injury first surfaced July 22 when Judge was shown on television grimacing after a throw against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Three days later, he played in the outfield for the last time before this month’s return.
Boone told Hoch he’ll be cautious with Judge in the field and isn’t expecting to play him there every day. That means Stanton will get more opportunities in the outfield, just like this weekend at Boston.
What makes this situation interesting is how the Yankees balance Judge’s MVP-caliber offense with keeping him healthy for October. They’ve got flexibility with Stanton’s ability to move around, but Judge’s defensive value in right field is considerable when he’s fully healthy.
The Yankees and Twins square off Monday at 7:40 p.m. ET.
