New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ribs and is expected to miss an extended period of time. This news has left fantasy owners scrambling. He will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, and we don't expect to see him back until at least August.
Breaking: Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture on the first rib on his right side, the Yankees announced Thursday.He will be reimaged in approximately four to six weeks. pic.twitter.com/h60NTEQveY— ESPN (@espn) June 5, 2026While there is no true replacement for the kind of historic production Judge provides, fantasy owners are going to have to do their best piecing things together on the waiver wire to keep their championship hopes alive until he comes back. These are some of the top waiver wire targets to scoop up to fill in for an injured Judge.
OF Spencer Jones, New York Yankees
We start with the most obvious option in Jones, who should be available in just about every league. Jones is expected to be the direct long-term replacement for Judge for as long as he's on the IL. We don't expect him to produce anywhere close to the level of Judge, but he's a high-upside prospect slotting into a strong Yankees' lineup.
