Yankees' Aaron Judge on 10-Day IL with Flexor Strain, UCL Intact

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been placed on the injured list due to a flexor strain in his right elbow, but scans confirmed no damage to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), avoiding a more serious injury such as Tommy John surgery. Judge, who leads the major leagues with a .342 batting average, 37 home runs, and 85 RBIs, experienced throwing difficulties during a recent game against the Philadelphia Phillies, which prompted the MRI and subsequent IL placement. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that Judge will have 10 days to two weeks off throwing, with an expected return initially as a designated hitter before resuming fielding duties. The injury began earlier in the week during a series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but Judge initially downplayed the discomfort until throwing became noticeably impaired. Judge's absence comes at a challenging time for the Yankees, who have fallen six games behind the division-leading Blue Jays and are struggling with a recent losing stretch. Despite the setback, the team views the injury prognosis as relatively positive, emphasizing the importance of proper healing to avoid risking Judge's UCL further.