MINNEAPOLIS — With a single pinch hitter, the outcome of Wednesday afternoon’s game suddenly felt a whole lot less relevant. 

Because Aaron Judge was the hitter being replaced in a two-run game, coming off an off-day, in his seventh game back from missing three-plus months with a stress fracture in his right rib. 

The Yankees lost 5-4 to the Twins in 13 innings at Target Field, but whether they lost more than that remains to be seen after Judge exited early with what the team said was right lower leg tightness. 

Neither Judge nor Aaron Boone would specify which part of the leg was the issue, or if he would be going for tests Thursday, though the back-to-back AL MVP later added, “probably not.” 

Judge said he felt the tightness while playing right field in the bottom of the first inning and initially tried to stick it out before deciding to say something about it after the fifth inning, at which point he was pinch hit for in the top of the sixth. 

“Tried to play it off and see how long we could go, because these games are important down the stretch,” Judge said. “But kind of talking it over, I thought it’d be the right move to come out so we don’t cost the team in the field or cost the team on the basepaths.” 

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees looks on after an at-bat against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning, Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Target Field in Minneapolis. Getty Images

Judge has the benefit of an off-day Thursday, when he will continue to get treatment, but it was not immediately clear whether that would be enough to get him back in the Yankees lineup Friday against the Diamondbacks. 

“Obviously he’s a key figure to what we do,” Boone said. “Hopefully we get it treated and knock it out and [he can] be a factor at some point.” 

With 10 games left in the regular season, the Yankees (88-64) can ill afford to lose Judge again. They trail the Rays by four games for the division, ahead of Tampa’s game Wednesday night, but getting Judge back healthy in time for the playoffs outweighs whether or not they have to settle for the top AL wild card. 

Yankees’ Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the third inning.,

The Yankees had been fairly cautious in easing Judge back into action after his extended absence and not going on a rehab assignment before returning. He had two days fully out of the lineup across his first six games, the most recent one coming Tuesday after he had played four straight games. That came on the back of hitting his first home run Monday night, when the Yankees clinched a playoff berth. 

Still, Judge having to exit Wednesday’s game early — after being unhappy about only playing six innings in his first game off the IL last week — was telling. 

“We’re still trying to ramp up, so there’s going to be little things like this that come up,” said Judge, who appeared to be hobbling in the field in the bottom of the fifth inning. “Just thought it’d be best, instead of pushing through it like I normally do and it might become a little worse, to get somebody who’s ready to go in there. Just trying to do what’s best for the team.” 

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Judge likened it to dealing with nagging things every spring training while ramping up, which he had avoided during his comeback from the rib injury until Wednesday. 

“Hopefully it’s just one little thing and we’re back out there soon,” Judge said. 

Long after Judge was gone, the Yankees added insult to injury. Anthony Volpe tied the game in the ninth inning with a two-out, two-run double before the Yankees scored the automatic runner in the 10th and 11th innings. But they could not make it stand up either time, and then after not scoring with the bases loaded and no outs in the 12th, ultimately lost in the bottom of the 13th when Victor Caratini hit a ground ball up the middle that bounced under George Lombard Jr.’s glove, allowing the winning run to score for the Twins (71-81). 

And while it may have put another dent in the Yankees’ chances of chasing down the Rays for the division, that paled in comparison to the nightmare thought of Judge having to miss time again with the postseason less than two weeks away. 

“It’s never good when the best player on your team comes out of the lineup,” said Carlos Rodón, who allowed two runs in six innings. “Obviously I’m hoping he’s going to be OK.”