Aaron Judge Launches Another Historic Home Run—How the Yankees Star Is Rewriting MLB Records

As the New York Yankees chase an American League Wild Card berth, all eyes are on Aaron Judge’s comeback tour—and the early returns suggest the club’s captain will have to recalibrate his game on the fly. Judge made his first start in right field since landing on the injured list with a right flexor strain, logging nine innings against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Monday night. While the 6-foot-7 slugger tracked fly balls without issue, television cameras quickly noticed a measured, almost tentative throwing motion. On two routine singles, Judge opted for soft tosses to second baseman Gleyber Torres instead of unleashing his trademark laser to third base, a decision that sparked immediate social-media chatter and raised fresh questions about his arm strength. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the adjustment in his post-game comments. “He’s still building up,” Boone said. “The swing is there, but the arm’s going to take a little longer.” Team doctors have already warned that Judge’s throwing mechanics could remain compromised for the balance of the 2025 season. Even so, Judge insisted he is “healthy enough to help the team win,” emphasizing that he felt no pain during pre-game long toss and expects “incremental gains” over the next two weeks. The 33-year-old is slashing .342/.449/.771 with 37 home runs in just 103 games, numbers that still place him squarely in the MVP conversation despite the injury-curtailed summer. Yankee insiders believe Boone will deploy Judge in right field only against ground-ball heavy lineups, shifting him to designated hitter on nights when a stronger throwing arm could be required. The club promoted Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton to serve as a late-inning defensive replacement, further hinting at a cautious roadmap for their franchise cornerstone. From a standings perspective, New York entered Tuesday 1.5 games behind Tampa Bay for the final Wild Card spot. Judge’s bat remains non-negotiable in a lineup that has produced the league’s third-lowest OPS since the All-Star break, but his defensive limitations could force Boone into nightly match-up gymnastics. Long term, medical staffers reportedly expect a full recovery without offseason surgery, projecting that rest and an individualized strengthening program should restore Judge’s trademark cannon by spring training. For now, Yankee fans will have to accept a version of Aaron Judge whose value tilts even more heavily toward the batter’s box—and hope that is still enough to power October baseball in the Bronx.