Aaron Judge doesn’t need elbow surgery; Rodón and Volpe expected to start at Illinois in 2026
yankees manager Aaron Boone A press conference was held today and some noteworthy updates were provided regarding the players on the roster. outfielder Aaron Judge He won’t need offseason surgery on his right elbow. However, left-handers Carlos Rodon Underwent surgery to remove a loose body in the left elbow. He will be out for eight weeks and will likely miss the start of next season. shortstop Anthony VolpeHaving undergone shoulder surgery this week, he will be unable to hit for four months and dive for six months. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was among those who retweeted the latest news (Tweets one, two and three). According to Greg Joyce of the New York Post, general manager Brian Cashman also confirmed that Volpe will indeed start the season on the injured list.
Judge’s news is obviously good news. In July, he was diagnosed with a flexor strain. Although his playing time with Illinois was brief, his assignment in August was limited to designated hitter. It’s a bit embarrassing because it forces Giancarlo Stanton The amount that got into the ballpark was certainly more than the Yankees had planned. Judge gradually played more outfield games throughout September and October.
If Judge requires Tommy John surgery or other major elbow surgery, it will have lingering effects on the 2026 season, although it appears Judge will be a full-time outfielder again next year. This should allow the Yankees to plan on playing Judge in right field and Stanton in 2026.
However, the outfield continues to be the focus this offseason. Trent Grisham Is a guy who’s going to be a free agent. Cody Bellinger Will opt out of the contract and enter the open market. The remaining judges and Jason Dominguez As both outfield retainers. Domingos was once a top prospect but has yet to fully break out. 2025 is his longest stretch of major league playing time. His offense is about league average, but his defense is poor.
According to Kirchner, Boone expects Dominguez to be the Yankees’ starter next year, but the captain added that depends on what happens this offseason. The Yankees could look to reunite with Bellinger and/or Grisham, and there are names like those on the free agent market Kyle Tucker, Harrison Bader and Cedric Mullins. The trade market should have a name like this Lars Nootbar, Alec Burleson, Adolis Garcia and others. Cashman said he wants Bellinger back, but the Yankees haven’t had any offseason discussions yet, according to YES Network’s Jake Curry. According to Kirschner, Cashman said the prospect Spencer Jones He’s also putting himself in the mix for next year, though that also depends on what happens in the offseason.
Luo Dong’s news is obviously not pleasant. It doesn’t look like he’ll be out for an extended period of time, but the Yankees will enter the season with a handful of players in Illinois. Gerrit Cole Tommy John underwent surgery last March. He should be back at some point in 2026, but Boone confirmed today that Cole won’t be ready before Opening Day, according to Kirschner. Clark Schmidt July has his own TJS and will be well out in the 2026 campaign.
Those arms could provide a nice boost to the rotation during the season, but the Yankees will have to start the season without them. As of now, the opening day rotation is expected to be Max Fried, Louis Gill, Cam Schlitler and Will Warren. The Yankees will presumably look to strengthen that before Opening Day. Rodon and Cole may be in a jam once they return to the mound, but other injuries are inevitable. The protagonists of the free agent market are these people Framber Valdez, Imai Tatsuya, Dylan Seth and rangers suarezwhile the trading market may have Mackenzie Gore, Joe Ryan There are many others.
As for Volpe, Boone still seems to view him as a shortstop once he’s healthy. “Yeah, he’s a good fit to do it,” Boone said today, per Kirchner. Cashman also acknowledged today that shoulder issues are affecting Volpe this season, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported.
This is backed up by the numbers. Volpe’s defensive metrics have dropped significantly this year. In 2024, he saved 6 defensive runs and struck out 14 above average, but in 2025, he had 2 DRS and -7 OAA. His offensive production was similar to previous seasons, but once he got injured, he seemed to fall off a cliff. By the end of April, he was slashing .237/.328/.456 with a wRC+ of 119, just days before injuring his shoulder. Since the beginning of May, he has posted a .205/.255/.374 74 wRC+.
Heading into 2026, the Yankees will likely look to outside options, though there’s no foolproof answer just yet. The protagonists of free agency are Beau Bichettehe is a good hitter but poor defensively. guys like Kim Ha Sung and Trevor Storey It is possible to opt out by opting out, although there are problems. King is having a rough season while recovering from shoulder surgery. Story is starting to get healthy a year after his own injury experience, but he’s about to turn 33 and probably won’t opt out anyway. CJ Abrams Might be tradeable, but he’s also not a great defender and has an inconsistent bat.
Maybe the Yankees will let Jose Caballero Continue working until Volpe is healthy. Caballero has performed well since being acquired at the deadline. Braden Shoemaker There is depth on the roster and the Yankees could bring in some veteran utility types.
Photos by Brett Davis, Imagn Images
