Aaron Judge, sidelined for three months with a rib fracture, returned to the New York Yankees lineup Tuesday night but was held hitless in his first three plate appearances against the Colorado Rockies. He struck out swinging, flied out, and then struck out looking.
Manager Aaron Boone removed Judge after six defensive innings. The Yankees secured a 5-3 victory, with the decisive blow coming in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two runners on base, Heliot Ramos hit a three-run home run that broke a tie game. Ramos entered the game batting .227 during Judge's 84-game absence.
The Yankees are in a tight race for the AL East title, and Judge's return was anticipated as a significant boost. The team is treating the current series as a form of rehabilitation to manage his workload. Judge had been on the injured list since May 31 with a stress fracture in his right rib.