Aaron Judge doesn’t rule out elbow surgery after Yankees’ elimination

Aaron Judge Considers Elbow Surgery After Yankees’ Elimination

Following the defeat that marked the end of the Yankees’ season against the Blue Jays on Wednesday night, right fielder Aaron Judge did not rule out the possibility of undergoing surgery on his right elbow during the offseason to address his injury.

“We will definitely work on it,” Judge said. “We will work on it and fix it.”

Aaron Judge

Does that mean surgery?

“I’m not a doctor,” Judge replied. “I don’t know.”

Aaron Judge

Judge, 33, suffered a strain in his elbow flexor at the end of July, which interrupted another season worthy of being considered MVP. Unable to throw without sharp pain, he was placed on the injured list. He returned exclusively as a designated hitter on August 5 while rehabilitating from the injury. A month later, although still limited, he returned to right field with the Yankees in a tight playoff race. He split his time between right field and designated hitter until September 23, when he started the final six regular season games for the Yankees and seven postseason games in the outfield. Judge’s arm strength improved, throwing a 90.2 mph pitch, slightly higher than his average in 2025, in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Blue Jays, but remained committed. The arm issue didn’t affect Judge in the batter’s box. After winning the batting title with a .331 average, along with 53 home runs during the regular season, Judge recorded the best individual postseason of his career. Highlighted by his three-run home run that tied the game off the left field foul pole at Yankee Stadium in Game 3, with a 100 mph fastball out of the strike zone from Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Louis Varland, Judge hit 13-26 (.500) with an OPS of 1.273, four walks and seven RBIs in 31 plate appearances in the Yankees’ seven playoff games. But the performance couldn’t prevent the Yankees from being eliminated in the American League Division Series after a 5-2 loss in Game 4, extending the franchise’s championship drought to 16 seasons.