What Happened? The New York Yankees have been hit hard by the absence of their star player Aaron Judge, who has missed nearly an entire month due to a troubling injury. This setback has tested the team's depth and kept them from maintaining their top ranking in Major League Baseball (MLB). ## Why It Matters for Aaron Judge Despite initial optimism about his recovery timeline, recent developments suggest that Judge may not return as soon as expected. Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided an update on the situation, indicating a cautious outlook rather than a swift resolution to Judge's injury. ## What Comes Next? As the four-week mark of the initial six-week timeline approaches, fresh insights indicate a potential delay in Judge’s return. The team is now recalibrating their hopes based on incremental hurdles and extended rehabilitation phases ahead. Observers are now weighing possible setbacks rather than a timely resolution to Judge's injury. ## A Concrete Fact On June 18, Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided an update stating that the team was not ready for Judge to transition back into baseball-specific routines yet. The timeline for full integration could stretch further than initially anticipated due to the need for careful progression and avoiding re-injury risks. Fans and analysts alike are recalibrating their hopes based on these incremental hurdles, with projections now leaning toward an August return at the earliest. On July 20, Yankees maintained confidence that Judge would rejoin the effort ahead of the critical late-season push, despite the extended absence.