Yankees injuries: Amid awful news, Max Fried, Ryan McMahon plan in works; Aaron Judge’s forecast

NEW YORK — The same Yankees saga has been playing out all season:

Every time one or two players are ready to come off the injured list, someone else gets hurt.

Manager Aaron Boone’s Wednesday pre-game news conference included good and bad updates, then his post-game session ended with a big dose of ugly that had nothing to do with rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr.’s bobble for a fifth game in a row with an error.

Following the Yankees’ 9-3 win over the Astros, Boone shared the imaging results for reliever Fernando Cruz, who went on the 15-day IL earlier in the day with right elbow discomfort.

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Cruz has a partial UCL tear that probably will lead to Tommy John surgery. His season is over, and at age 35 the right-hander might have pitched his last game as a Yankee after a breakout 2025 in his first season with the club and an even better 2026 before slumping over the last month.

Before the game, Boone was holding out hope that Cruz would get favorable MRI results while providing more upbeat updates on three other Yankees who are on the injured list:

Left-hander Max Fried, right-hander Clarke Schmidt and third baseman Ryan McMahon. The latest news on Aaron Judge was encouraging, as well.

Here are updates on all eight Yankees who are on the IL:

MAX FRIED, LHP

Injury: Left elbow bone bruise.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 17 (retro to Aug. 14).

Missed games: 11.

Expected return: Late August or early September.

2026 stats: 4-4, 2.81 ERA, 15 starts, 86.1 IP, 59 hits, 27 runs, 27 ER, 2 HR, 27 BB, 79 K.

The latest: If Fried gets through his Thursday bullpen with no issues, he’ll be cleared to come off the IL when he’s first eligible Saturday to start one of the day-night doubleheader games against the Red Sox. That’s how close the Yankees are to having all four of their aces in the rotation at the same time for the first time. AL Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler has been healthy all season, but Gerrit Cole began the season on the IL, Carlos Rodon was on the IL twice and this is Fried’s second stint for the same injury.

Boone on Aug. 26: “Fried could be in play this weekend. He’ll have another side (Thursday). I’m not committing to anything yet, but that’s certainly a possibility.”

RYAN MCMAHON, 3B

Injury: Grade 2 left thumb strain.

Status: 10-day IL since Aug. 21 (backdated to Aug. 20).

Missed games: 6.

Expected return: Aug. 31.

2026 stats: .216 average, 60-for-278, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 2 SB, 24 BB, 93 K, .649 OPS, 106 games.

The latest: McMahon, who has been hitting, fielding and throwing since going on the IL, is tracking to be activated at some point next week, either for the start of a week in California that begins Tuesday in Anaheim or when rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1.

Boone on Aug. 26: “He’s doing well. He’s doing everything, so he’s in line to be at that 10-day (return) mark. We might take it a couple extra days, just with Sept. 1st being around the corner. He might even play in a couple rehab games prior to that, but he’s trending in a good way.”

AARON JUDGE , RF

Injury: Right rib stress fracture.

Status: 10-day IL since June 5 (backdated to June 2). Transferred to 60-day IL on July 18.

Missed games: 73.

Expected return: September.

2026 stats: .248 average, 53-for-214, 17 HR, 38 RBI, 5 SB, 42 BB, 72 K, .907 OPS, 59 games.

The latest: Six days after Judge’s first swings since May 31 were hitting off a tee, he progressed to hitting overhand pitching on Wednesday. He’s also now throwing up to 100 feet and running sprints. Although the Yankees aren’t giving even a loose timeline for next steps or a return date, he still has to progress to taking BP off a pitching machine, live BP at-bats and rehab games before coming off the IL at some point in September. The best estimate at this point is Judge will be playing minor-league games by the end of next week and back with the Yankees for their Sept. 11-13 Subway Series at Yankee Stadium or the following series in Minnesota, which runs Sept. 14-16.

RYAN WEATHERS, LHP

Injury: Left forearm flexor strain.

Status: 15-day IL since Aug. 23.

Missed games: 3.

Expected return: September.

2026 stats: 5-8, 3.60 ERA, 25 starts, 137.1 IP, 130 hits, 61 runs, 55 ER, 18 HR, 38 BB, 143 K.

The latest: Weathers is just a few days into no throwing for two to four weeks, but he’s optimistic that he’ll be off the IL and pitching in relief before the regular season ends on Sept. 27. That’ll be tough to pull out, but it might be doable if he begins a throwing program after two weeks. Even before Weathers’ injury, the Yankees envisioned he’d be a reliever in the postseason when they go with four starters – Schlittler, Cole, Fried and Rodon.

Weathers on Aug. 23: I had a similar injury at the end of spring training last year with the Marlins. (These) scans were less than what it was last year (The doctor) said that the elbow looked really healthy. It’s almost not a grade 1 strain. It’s very low grade. It’s more just irritated than anything.”

CLARKE SCHMIDT , RHP

Injury: Tommy John surgery on July 11, 2025.

Status: 60-day IL since Feb. 12.

Missed games: 132.

Expected return: September.

The latest: Schmidt’s next step are rehab outings following 20 pitches of live BP Tuesday with Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus and bullpen catcher Rainiero Coa in the batter’s box. Schmidt has always been a starter, but he’ll be prepping for a September and postseason relief role.

Boone on Aug. 26: “He looked really good (Tuesday). I’m excited where he’s at. I know he is. We’re excited to get that (reliever) ball going (and monitoring) how is he responding to that different workload where it’s shorter bursts, where you’re building up intensity, where you’re pitching, day off, pitching, two off, pitching That’s a little bit different for a guy that’s ma...

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