BALTIMORE — The Yankees have spent much of the summer waiting for their injured lineup to move from hopeful timelines to actual baseball activity.
That transition is finally beginning.
Aaron Judge is entering a new phase of his recovery from a fractured right rib, Cody Bellinger has scheduled his first minor league rehab game, and Giancarlo Stanton has pushed deeper into the running program that has been the biggest obstacle in his return from a troublesome right calf.
The movement comes at an important time for a Yankees club that still has to manufacture offense without three of its most dangerous hitters. New York produced only five hits Tuesday at Camden Yards, with Trent Grisham driving in all three runs in a 3-1 victory over the Orioles.
The Yankees are not getting everyone back at once. They are, however, beginning to see a pathway toward restoring the middle of their lineup before the final stretch of the regular season.
Yankees fast track Aaron Judge
Judge’s recovery has accelerated noticeably over the past week.
Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that the Yankees captain will be introduced to a hitting progression this week. Judge has already been doing swing-related work in a pool while increasing the intensity of his running and throwing program.
That is an important shift for a player who spent weeks limited mostly to lower-body work while the fractured first rib on his right side healed. Judge played catch Friday for the first time since landing on the injured list and has continued running without a reported setback.
Boone characterized the advancement as another step in a gradual buildup.
“He’s progressing,” Boone said.
There still is no firm return date, and the Yankees have not said when Judge will advance to full batting practice or live pitching.
But the progression matters because Judge has not played since May 31. He was hitting .248 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .907 OPS when the injury shut him down. The Yankees later transferred him to the 60-day injured list.
Judge has maintained throughout the process that he expects to play again in 2026.
“I’ll be back this season,” Judge said earlier this month.
The difference now is that his rehab is beginning to include the baseball movements required to make that return possible.
Cody Bellinger finally has a rehab date
Bellinger appears much closer than Judge to returning to the Yankees lineup.
The outfielder said Tuesday that he plans to play for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, Aug. 20, beginning a minor league rehab assignment after nearly four weeks out with a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring.
The Yankees originally estimated Bellinger’s recovery at four to six weeks after he injured the hamstring while running out a double against Philadelphia on July 25. His current progress has him tracking toward the favorable end of that window.
Bellinger has already gone through extensive on-field workouts, including running, defensive work and batting practice. He told reporters he expects to need more than one rehab game, though he did not close the door on a quick return if his hamstring responds properly.
For Bellinger, clearing the final test without another interruption is more important than shaving a day or two off the timetable.
“You want to come back and stay,” Bellinger said.
Before the injury, Bellinger had played 102 games and hit .259 with 11 home runs, 53 RBIs and a .770 OPS. His absence became more damaging because it overlapped with Judge and Stanton being unavailable.
Bellinger now has the clearest path of the three injured Yankees sluggers to rejoin the active roster.
Giancarlo Stanton clears another running hurdle
Stanton remains behind Bellinger, but his recovery also continues to advance.
Boone said Tuesday that Stanton is “towards the end of his running program,” adding that the intensity of the work has increased and that the veteran designated hitter has responded well.
That development carries weight because running has repeatedly slowed Stanton’s recovery.
He initially strained his right calf in April and suffered another setback while running the bases at Yankee Stadium. Stanton continued hitting through much of the rehab process, but the Yankees could not move him toward activation until his calf tolerated increasingly demanding running work.
By early August, Stanton had begun a light baserunning progression after previously running in the outfield. The next major milestone would be a decision on whether he needs a minor league rehab assignment. Boone has not provided a date for that step.
Stanton has been out since April 24. He hit .256 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games before the injury.
For the Yankees, the important change is that Stanton’s recovery is no longer stalled at the same running checkpoint that held him up earlier in the summer.
Luis Gil moves back to Triple-A after rehab outings
The Yankees also have another possible reinforcement developing on the pitching side.
Right-hander Luis Gil has completed his rehab assignment with High-A Hudson Valley and returned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to Boone’s latest update. Gil had been working back from right shoulder inflammation.
Gil made two appearances for Hudson Valley.
His first came Aug. 11, when he threw 13 pitches in one inning. Three days later, he worked two scoreless innings and threw 30 pitches in his second outing.
The next phase will determine whether Gil can pitch his way into the Yankees’ September plans.
Gil opened the season in the majors but struggled, allowing 13 runs in 19 1/3 innings across four starts before being sent to Triple-A. He later went on the minor league injured list with the shoulder issue.
Given the calendar and the amount of buildup required for a starter, a bullpen role could offer the most realistic avenue back to the Yankees this season. That possibility has become more relevant as the club tries to protect its pitching depth during the postseason race.
For months, the Yankees’ injury story centered on waiting.
The latest updates finally contain something more concrete. Judge is moving toward hitting, Stanton is nearing the end of his running progression, Bellinger has an actual rehab game scheduled, and Gil is back at Triple-A.
The Yankees still need those steps to turn into active-roster returns. Bellinger gets the first opportunity Thursday.
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