Aaron Judge’s massive postseason performance made it easy to forget he’s been dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow since July. The slugger had multiple hits in all but one game across the first two rounds of the playoffs. Judge engineered a defining postseason moment in Game 3 against Toronto, smashing a game-tying homer off Louis Varland.
With the Yankees now headed into the offseason, Judge was asked about the plan for his ailing elbow. “We’ll definitely do some work on it and get it right,” Judge told reporters, including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. When asked about surgery specifically, Judge remained noncommittal. “I’m not a doctor. I don’t know.”
The flexor strain forced Judge to the IL in late July. It was a minimum stint on the IL, but he was unable to play the field upon returning. Judge spent all of August at DH. He made it back to his familiar home in right field on September 5. Judge bounced between right field and DH for the final month of the season. In the playoffs, he played exclusively in the field, with Giancarlo Stanton manning the DH spot in all seven games.
Initial tests did not reveal any ulnar collateral ligament damage for Judge. His recovery from surgery to address the flexor strain, if he were to go that route, would not be as long as for a more serious elbow injury like a UCL tear.
Anthony Volpe was similarly tight-lipped about offseason surgery for his shoulder injury. “I anticipated playing another month and then reassessing then. So nothing’s [decided] … we’re going to figure it out,” Volpe told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Volpe partially tore the labrum in his shoulder back in May. He didn’t go on the IL with the injury, but his performance suffered. Volpe slashed a solid .237/.328/.456 through April. His numbers tumbled to .205/.255/.374 over the final five months of the season. Volpe got off to a strong start in the postseason, going 4-for-11 with a home run in the Wild Card round against Boston. He collapsed in the ALDS, managing just one hit in 15 at-bats. Volpe struck out 11 times in the four games against Toronto.
Depending on the severity of the tear, Volpe could elect surgery and still be ready for the 2026 season. Shohei Ohtani tore the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder during the World Series in 2024. He made it back in time for spring training this year.
While Volpe never hit the IL with the shoulder issue, he did miss time in mid-September after receiving a cortisone injection. Midseason acquisition Jose Caballero started six straight games at shortstop from September 10-15. Caballero receded to a bench role once Volpe was deemed healthy, but he did endear himself to Yankees fans with a walk-off single to clinch a postseason bid in the final week of the season. Caballero is under team control through 2029 and could factor into New York’s middle infield plans depending on the health of Volpe.
No matter what Judge and Volpe decide on the surgery front, they’ll definitely be back with the team next season. The same can’t be said for Cody Bellinger, who is facing a decision of his own. Bellinger can opt out of the final year of his current contract with the Yankees. He’d be leaving $20MM on the table ($25MM salary next year but with a $5MM buyout) in pursuit of a longer, potentially more lucrative deal in free agency.
Hoch passed along comments from Bellinger about the pending opt-out decision. As has been the theme with these Yankees, Bellinger didn’t say much. “Obviously, things to discuss with family and the agent and the business side of it all. But tonight, I’m just going to soak it all in and just be a part of the group one more time.”
Bellinger signed his current three-year, $80MM contract with the Cubs ahead of the 2024 season. He could’ve opted out of the deal this past offseason, but declined. Bellinger was then dealt to the Yankees. He slugged 29 home runs in his first year in pinstripes, his most since his 2019 NL MVP season. Bellinger also stayed healthy, topping 600 plate appearances for just the third time in his career. He’s widely expected to opt out of the final year of his deal.
The Yankees are a mess. Hopefully Volpe can find his way back to his rookie year but it doesn’t look good. Rice, Stanton and Dominquez are all DHs. They should try to deal Stanton’s contract for nothing if they can. Trade Dominjquez while he is valuable with controllable years. Make Rice the full time DH.
They could use a big bat to pair with Judge and try to get solid, all around guys like a Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius.
I don’t think Martinez or Brosius are available.
like
The Yankee won 94 games and tied for the best record in the AL despite injuries to several key players. They just happened to run into the team that had their number in the postseason. They’ll be very good next year as long as they shore up the bullpen this offseason
Ronk, the Yankees didn’t face all that much adversity (some, but every team faces some…only some deal with a lot), and with their resources it’s hard for them to not field a playoff team.
As they themselves have long made clear, it’s about rings, not playoff berths. And for the better part of a decade, they have been built much more for bullying weaker pitching during the regular season marathon than hitting playoff pitching.
The “mess” is that they have enough tied up to make it hard to rework this team-wide profile, so every year tends to set up more of the same. It’s not that they have the misfortune to run into the wrong team (they could have easily lost to Boston too), but rather that they need things to break right as they almost fully did last year to have a legit shot at going all the way.
Cole missed the whole season. Schmidt missed the majority of the season. Gil missed about 2/3 of the season and never looked right. Stanton missed the first 2.5 months. Jazz missed a month. Judge missed 2 weeks and labored through an elbow injury when he initially returned. All of those injuries plus the mess of the bullpen for a large portion of the season and still 94 wins. This is not the time to press the panic button. I expect the team to be much better next year
Well players in their 30s get hurt often and last year the AL was dreadful. I agree Yankees should be better next year because their SP could be the best in baseball. But if they don’t make adult decisions, like benching Volpe for the Caballero (.828 OPS as a Yankee), or create a more disciplined culture so you don’t get 2-run errors in the 8th inning of playoff games, they’ll keep losing. They parrot championships is all that matters but the culture says otherwise. Shame cause Aaron Judge is one of the best ever.
No way. They’re poorly constructed, too many errors, rely on the home run too much, poor choices around inserting bullpen pitchers. I’m normally an optimist but they squeaked past Boston then showed their flaws against Toronto.
I think they ran into a really good hitting team and a great manager. And they didn’t win the division so they started at a disadvantage. But they could be really strong next year if they shore up some gaps.
@ long
Not facing much adversity? They were without their Cole, Gil and Schmidt, 3/5ths of their rotation. They also were suddenly without Stanton for the first 3 months of the year. I would say that’s more adversary that most others. Give Cashman credit for having a better than most thought farm system.
@ long
Not facing much adversity? They were without their Cole, Gil and Schmidt, 3/5ths of their rotation. They also were suddenly without Stanton for the first 3 months of the year. I would say that’s more adversary that most others. Give Cashman credit for having a better- than-most thought farm system.
GriffGC: Orion Kerkering and the Phillies have something to say about crucial errors late in playoff games, and they had 96 wins and the top seed in the NL.
We as fans don’t realize how hard a game baseball is to play consistently well, and we tend to forget that players are human.
“A more disciplined culture,” whatever that even means, doesn’t make players into machines that perform perfectly time after time.
No doubt, errors happen. I think my point around culture is the yankees don’t seem to be about their business. They tie game three and the team’s stunting and strutting around. You think a team with Jeter or Torre would be doing that down 2-0 in. a series? It’s just one example of immaturity and a lack of focus on doing all it takes to win. They don’t have the discipline.
agreed except for the great manager part
@Griff
I don’t think you’re in position to know the culture of the clubhouse nor do I think they’re an issue with being confident as opposed to complacent with just bring there. Relax bro. This team made it to the WS last year. They have the talent. Let’s keep tweaking it and hope that this makes them tougher mentally.
GriffGC: So winning the AL pennant last year and 94 games this year just happened without professionalism and discipline?
Do you even know what it takes to play and win at the MLB level? I don’t pretend that I do, and I seriously doubt that you do.
I am relaxed! I don’t even care about the Yankees but I find them interesting. They say things like ‘every year we don’t win is not a good a year’ but they lose in predictable ways and stubbornly start losing players in the postseason: Verdugo, Volpe.
You’re right I’m not an MLB player (surprise) but when you look at teams that have won, they have differently levels of focus and accountability IMHO.
Maybe it’s not discipline but lack of player development – most of their team is acquisitions, tough to build a culture that way. Idk,
GriffGC: I guess it depends how one defines winning.
Only one of 12 postseason teams gets the big prize, and most teams would gladly sign up for a pennant one year and 94 wins the next.
The odds were a lot better when the Yankees won 20 of their 27 championships with just two teams making the postseason out of eight or 10 in all of MLB.
The Yankees aren’t exactly an organization in disarray. There’s a lot to be said for realistic expectations.
I agree
@Griff
What’s a “losing player”? He struggled but wasn’t an awful player. He was still a solid SS defensively and have them 55 extra base his and 20+ SB. We can’t just throw away what he did good other 2 seasons in the bigs.
And maybe your not paying attention but Rice, Wells, Volpe, Dominguez, Judge are all home grown. Even there pitching staff had Schmidt, Gil, Warren and Schlittler.
The Yankees are a “mess” in that they have a very “feast-or-famine” offense and are very sloppy defensively. The bullpen was also an issue (but that holds true for a lot of teams)
It’s sad when a team that is a mess wins 94 games. I agree. They should have won 160.
BTW, they are never dealing Stanton’s contract.
Rice a full time DH? The guy can catch and play first. He’s not the best, but he can do it.
Stanton has a full no trade clause but if he misses significant time in 2026 I can see Yankees release him with only 1 1/2 yrs on his contract as the Marlins on the hook for $30 million of last 3 yrs of that contract.
Stanton has blanket no trade. He’s not going anywhere.
Fans don’t understand that they think players just give up their rights and rip them up for the fun of it.
And Stanton is their 2nd best bat when he plays at this point he’s regained a ton of value
He still has massive negative value and would be a salary dump. He’s a DH who can’t run the bases.
@that’s
He was worth 2War in only 280 AB despite being a DH and part time before Abraham outfielder. He was in a pave for 40+ homers. I hate the ks but to say he’s a negative isn’t correct. he was having a good year with his power and walk rate.
What I said is correct. He could hit 40 hrs and still be a negative asset his contract is all that matters. It was a bad trade when they made the trade, it’s a bad trade two years ago, it’s a bad trade now and will go down in history as a bad trade. Taking on that much money for a often injured player was a poor decision and continues to cause a roster construction problem for the Yankees
If the Yankees are a mess, then many teams should just fold.
Contract the league to four teams! DFA the other 26 teams to AAAA. Problem solved for @Goose.
@Goose
Fans like you are maddening. What are you using to Judge Rice? He was a 3 War player with limited run this year. He ranked 9th among all 1b. Matt Olson takes 1st in Def W @ -4.2. Rice was 6th at -6.8. He ranked 6th. He was better than most. Stanton has a no-trade so he’s not going anywhere. Dominguez should be in CF but I don’t get why they insist on playing in LF. Beli can handle LF. What would you do with Grisham? Would you offer him the qualifying offer of $22 mil and she what he did next year or key him walk if he gets a multi year deal offer elsewhere?
Also Brosius was a solid all around guy for probably 3 or 4 years in his career. Otherwise he had a low average and OBP most years. Had 2 solid years in Oakland and 2 in NY but a lot of underwhelming ones too, so it depends a lot on the year and player.
Volpe has been the exact same player for the last 3 years, finding his way back to his rookie year is repeating what we just saw lmao
Volpe is the definition of insanity: repeat the same thing over and over, expecting different results.
I’d be fine with it if we were told Volpe is just an above average defensive option at SS bc finding elite SS’s isnt easy instead of constructing a lineup that desperately needs him to perform at the plate
Yankees are going to have to decide is it worth paying Volpe $3.9 million 1st time arbitration amount sitting in AAA if they decide to demote him or trade bait if they replace him.
His fist name could well be Einstein then couldn’t it???
@Beg
Get off Volpe’s tip. Even with a bad offensive session he was still a 1War. Last year he was worth a 3.5 War. His glove regressed to about average however. He was a GG SS the two years prior. As long as his glove improves I’m not too concerned about the rest. he still had 55 extra base hits, 20 SB and a decent walk rate. He’s only in his 4th year and he’s cheap. He deserves another year before we start thinking of replacing him. Sane with regards to Wells. This lineup should be good enough 1-7 to carry both. Historically, championship teams were able to win with guys like that.
The Cardinals have a young Utility man
Jose Fermin —- who would be an asset hitting in the #1 or #2 hole to get on base for the sluggers behind him — (primarily a shortstop) who is a contact hitter and is blocked in the Cardinals organization.
In 60 AB’s this season he hit .283 with nearly an .800 on base average —- being a contact hitter, he doesn’t strikeout much — has a good walk rate —- can steal a base!!!
Fermin would be a low cost answer to bolster the teams on base percentage —outside of the home run ball.
The Yanks can hit the home runs. They need a table setter!! Jose Fermin could be that man!!
Why would the cardinals trade such a player?
Rice is a 1b and a backup catcher. Id refute more of the gibberish you wrote but ill stop right here..
Dominguez can he a star if they just leave him alone. I think we see Bellinger back and that’s it on the offensive side. Pitching need some bullpen arms. But Cashman isn’t going to do anything crazy.
I agree their rotation is set. They just need a right handed catcher to platoon with Wells with Rice as insurance which is huge for roster flexibility since he likely plays 1B most of the time. 3 quality bullpen arms as I don’t want to see Weaver, Williams, Leiter or Loisiaga back and really consider replacing Volpe at SS and resign Bellinger only at the right price or years otherwise pass and use savings to go hard at Bichette SS or Alonso at 1B to replace Belli production
Wells has to go! I’m down on him.
He’s still an above average defensive C with power.
Dominguez has to give up hitting right handed. He can’t hack it. I see starter but not star for him. He also doesn’t play good defense.
This is accurate.
Until I see him play his natural CF position it’s unfair to say his defense sucks as he never played LF in his life!
If you can play CF you should be able to play LF. Especially as a professional baseball player
Anthony the scouting on Dominguez is he’s a poor centerfielder. The reason for the move to left is that it’s an easier position than center. I get that he’s never played left but his routes are brutal and when he gets near the warning track, he looks like he’s scared of the wall.
@dan
I don’t see how you can look at him in his rookie year and declare he can’t be a star. He’s 22 and has had all of 104 PA vs major league lefties. He needs more ABs. And I heard he was a good but not great CF. They should try him out there more
Bellinger’s response to the opt out question is a sign of maturity. Class.
Complete opposite of Pete Alonso. Trash 🗑️ bag!
… exactly what I was thinking, Dan.
I got roasted in the Alonso article for saying this.
Yanks: I, too, was lectured on this matter. Seems simple to me – Bellinger handled it well. As did Story & Bregman.
It’s all good. Emotions were still running high for Mets fans when the article was posted right after elimination.
Soto: is that you, Pete?
This was a disappointing season, obviously, but I don’t think there need to be any massive changes. Cashman had a fantastic off-season and had some gem pickups like Fried, Beli, Goldy and bringing back Grisham. He avoided disasters like Burns, Walker, Santander, Teoscar and Arrenado. Devin Williams was a disaster but I can’t knock him for that because the guy was elite the previous 3 seasons and didn’t appear to be injured this year. The rookies he retained seem to be budding stars like Rice and Dominguez. Schlittler came around early. Warren was a serviceable starter that tied for most starts. Spencer Jones, Elmer Cruz and Carlos Lagrange look like prospects a year or so from being ready to contribute or could be trade bait for someone hopefully of star level quality. We definitely need to see improvements from Dominguez defensively and Volpe and Wells offensively but in not willing to move on from any of them unless we’re replacing them with a guaranteed star under the age of 30 that we will control for at least 3 years. 3b is still upgradeable, although we have Ryan M there. The bullpen needs work, including a bonafide closer. It seems Williams might have been at odds with the team over pitch usage. Cashman built a team that could’ve gone much deeper into the playoffs if guys did their job. Boone isn’t the best, but I don’t think he is the issue keeping us from winning it all. It’ll be interesting to see what choices the Yanks make in Goldy, Beli and Grisham. I generally get nervous when guys have great bounce back years in their walk year. Both Grish and Beli will want or command multi year deals. Do you block the development of Dominguez? He’s young enough to hold on to him until Stanton walks in a couple of years. It would be nice to have him around for the inevitable injury that’ll come around frome someone. What would you prioritize?
I agree with everything you said other than Boone. Why are we putting in Williams in a huge spot with our season on the line? Idc if it’s the 7th, he had to go to Bednar it was the biggest moment of the game. He is detrimental to the team and would love to see him go, but I won’t keep that dream alive cause he’s not going anywhere. I would not re-sign Grisham, would re-sign Belli and roll with Dominguez in LF. Tell him he’d better work his a$$ off over the offseason to improve on defense. If not, Spencer Jones is lurking or include him in a trade for an impact contributor
Williams had turned it around since the end of season and postseason. The only reliable relievers were Hill, Williams, and Bednar in the postseason.
Jones is coming and taking one of the OF spots with or without Belli returning guaranteed. Dominguez has a spot as 4th OF if Belli returns but I would seek a trade if it brings back someone impactful.
Maybe in the second half of ’26 or ’27. No way to plan on Jones breaking camp for ST. He’s simply not ready.
Jones looks to be a Three True Outcomes player and that’s something the Yankees don’t want. Bombers also have to put Jones on the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
What you’re kidding yourself. He destroyed AAA prior to his back injury so I’m betting he continues to impress with a healthy 2026 and makes the club out of ST. He will be roaming either CF or LF guaranteed
Volpe did not endear himself to us with that one hit
Can Caballero play CF? I think that’s an important question. Re-signing Bellinger to be the long term CF seems like a mistake. If they trade Rice to a team like the Reds for some pitching and move Judge to 1B, signing Bellinger to play RF makes sense. But maybe signing Tucker works there too.
@Don
I don’t think the Yanks need pitching. Cole should be back next year, and as long as he is healthy, then you have to play him. Fried and Rondon, make 3. Then you have Gil, Warren, Schlittler, and eventually Schmidt. There’s no need to move Judge to first yet. Stanton is done in 2 to 3 years, so Judge could just become the full-time DH if needed.
I agree with your specific points, but everybody needs pitching. Judge is an amazing athlete and has held up well in the field, but that elbow bothers me. It’s better that he move to 1B a year too soon than a year too late. The entire roster looks different without Judge hitting in the middle of the lineup.
@knicks
Imo I would still get another sp as an insurance plan because you don’t what version of cole your gonna get. From what I’ve seen most pitchers coming back from tjs have very up and down year, back in 12 when wanio came back from tjs there were games he pitched like a top 5 cy young pitcher then he would go a few games looking like he never pitched in his life. it really all comes down to how soon can cole adjust to that new elbow and get comfortable with it.
Don, Bellinger is one of the very few actual baseball players on the Yankees. Unless another team just throws crazy money at him, the Yankees need to bring him back.
You’re way off base here as Judge NEVER playing 1B period and it’s either Rice or Belli or both. Tucker is not needed and not worth $400-500 million he seeks
Why would you NEVER move a 34-year-old who stands 6’7″ and weighs 282 lbs to 1B? Please explain.
Bringing back Grisham is a must. Nobody else is viable in CF, defensively.
Plus what he did to Frosty the Snowman was unforgivable.
Well… As a Red Sox fan, the only “mess” I see here is a bunch of disgruntled “fans” complaining about one of the greatest franchises in sports history. I get it… You haven’t win a WS in awhile, but come on, people. The Yankees are as committed to winning as much, or more, as any team in MLB. Red Sox fans have suffered through much more and are still very loyal and equally hopeful. Hold your chins up. At least you are not Phillies fans.
Yes but Yankees fans are gaslighted into believing they’re the best every year because the org and players say championship or bust. It fits well with the New York or Nowhere ad campaign.
Calling a 237 batting average solid is ludicrous.
The leaguewide batting average was .246. Solid is appropriate for any player.
Phillies choked. Now I do not care who wins as long as it is NOT the buy a team Dodgers.
“slashed a solid .237”
So, it has come to this, has it?
Times have changed….Dylan has esp!
Resign Belli if it’s not a crazy over pay. Let Trent and Goldy bounce. Bring up Spencer and send Gil to the pen. Get a relief pitcher or two and run it back next year!
Let clay and Trent go
We got jones and the Martian
That ain’t bad at all !!!
Come back to the Cubs!
Volpe is awful. But the Yankees will continue to trot him out there like he’s Jeter 2.0, which is a microcosm of what is wrong with that franchise right now.
In case you’ve forgotten, Volpe played most of this season with a torn labrum that’ll require surgery over the winter.
And as long as we’re talking Yankee infielders they could’ve used Caleb Durbin, who’s the everyday 3b for Milwaukee. Durbin went to the Brewers in the Devin Williams trade.
I don’t blame Cashman for getting Devin Williams. Holmes’ days were numbered n the Bronx. What about the players the Yankees gave up for Gallo? The players for Montas? Could Yankees have the Yankees traded for Bednar last off-season? Who knows
It honestly makes me question if there’s some racism in the organization. Caballero outplayed Volpe and McMahon and yet barely played in the playoffs. If you spread his 95 at bats out over season, he delivered a 6-7 WAR season, including a walkoff hit. That’s a good Francisco Lindor season. And they started EVERY GAME the kid who looks like a AA players.
Oh there is definitely racism as I said same thing during the season. Volpe comes from a family who are medical doctors, catholic upbringing and NJ boy! Steinbrenner, Cashman are scared to mess with this kid and admit defeat when signing him in 1st round. Caballero if given 500+ at bats would make Volpe look stupid with 270/10/65 and 60+ SBs!!!!
Question I got is how many peak years does Aaron Judge have left? Unfortunately the Yankees needed Garrit Cole for the Blue Jays. A healthy Cole and the Yankees IMO make the World Series this year, especially since Judge was raking. When your superstar is 34 he’s really on borrowed time for playing at that level. If Cole, Gil, and Schmidt can be reasonably healthy next season with the addition of Schitler that rotation will challenge Seattle for best in baseball. Might be one of the last shots you get with Judge.
@kingbum That’s not how position players decline, especially superstars.
Say Judge loses 20% of his value, a significant drop off in a single season, and goes from being worth 10 bWAR in 2025 to 8 bWAR in 2026.
That’s 2 wins you need to make up for, which is extremely manageable. It’s not as if Judge figures to go from 10 bWAR to 2, or 3, or even 5 bWAR.
I’d try to re-sign Bellinger. Overall I like what he brings to the table. Judge and Volpe need to get themselves healthy so get what needs to be done. People forget how much a shoulder injury can hurt you, I’m pretty sure it completely affected Volpe. I want to see him bounce back.
What kind of haul would the yankees get if they traded judge.
A lot. If they sent him to the Tigers for Skubal, the Tigers would probably have to add in a competent regular with a year of control.