New York Yankees Joel Sherman Yankees in delicate two-step with Aaron Judge that they must navigate By Joel Sherman Published Sep. 8, 2026, 11:54 p.m. ET Aaron Judge made his return to the Yankees on Sept. 8, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The Yankees and Aaron Judge got process and progress — not a movie script.
That the biggest hit of their 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Rockies came in the eighth inning from Judge’s spot in the lineup, but not from Judge, exemplified the current reality for the team and its most important player.
Access the Yankees beat like never before Don’t miss Greg Joyce’s text messages from The Bronx and beyond — he’s giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees.
For while the Yankees en masse are in the last push to hold off the Red Sox and try to overtake the Rays, Judge is in spring training. Thus, he played six innings and the man who replaced him in both the third slot in the lineup and right field, Heliot Ramos, hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to provide comfort in an important late-season game.
If it is Hollywood, Judge hits that homer and Yankee Stadium shakes. But in The Bronx, New York, Sept. 8, Judge was knocking off rust, not waiting for his close-up.
