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New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge may not be able to play for his team at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he’s looking away from the poor performances they’ve had as of late.
Judge was straightforward in his response to the Yankees losing six games before their series finale against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx.
“Well, it’s not great,” he said after his team’s woes. “Just a little lapse in focus. We just have to get there. Our ultimate goal is to win a World Series. I think guys have to remember that every day they show up here, we’re here to win a World Series.”
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Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees sits in the dugout before a game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California on May 29, 2026. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The judge did not specifically explain what the lack of concentration is, but he went on to say, “I think you see it.”
Judge, who was on the injured list with a rib injury, believes winning that elusive 28th world championship for the franchise should be enough motivation to right the ship.
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“That should motivate you every day you step on that field, no matter what happens, no matter what happened the day before,” he added. “I have a job to do. We have a big sign when you come on the field. It’s the last sign you see before you go there: it says ‘do your job’. The guys are there to do their job.”
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Judge’s pregame speech failed to end that losing streak on Wednesday. They fell to Detroit 6-2 in 11 innings, where four runs were scored in the top of the 11th by the Tigers.
The Yankees have lost seven straight and eight of their last 10 to fall three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East lead.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees reacts after being thrown out in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on June 28, 2026. (Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Yes, the Yankees remain in clear playoff position, atop the American League Wild Card standings despite the skid. But even though the AL has been mediocre this season, the race remains tight as other teams begin to find success.
New York could certainly use their returning captain on the field, but there is no timetable for his return and he has nothing positive to say about his rehabilitation in terms of getting back into pinstripes anytime soon.
“You know how it goes here – guys can feel good, they can feel bad, but you have to wait for the pictures,” Judge said of his rib. The Yankees said when he was diagnosed with the injury that they would undergo additional imaging approximately four to six weeks later.
Injured Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees runs drills in the outfield before a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
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“There’s no need to talk about it now,” Judge said. “I know it’s an important topic and a big deal, but I want to tell you the whole story.”
The current history of the Yankees is dark, but there is still a lot of season left to play. Perhaps the All-Star break, which begins July 13, could be a good reset as they look to get back to winning ways.
