Aaron Judge Remains Sidelined as Injury Impacts Yankees' Trade Deadline Plans

Yankees captain Aaron Judge remains sidelined due to an injury, a situation that is now impacting the team's strategy ahead of the 2026 trade deadline. In his absence, New York is leaning on its starting rotation, including Gerrit Cole and Max Fried, to stay competitive. With the deadline less than two weeks away, Judge's health is a primary factor in whether the Phillies or Yankees will pursue major roster upgrades, as the team monitors his recovery timeline and offensive production.