Three-time MVP Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees last week after being sidelined since late May with a right rib stress fracture. But now, the 6-foot-7 outfielder might be dealing with another injury that could impact the final American League standings.

Judge exited New York's game on Wednesday early with "right lower leg tightness," according to Yankees clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits. Many Yankees fans initially feared the 34-year-old may have reaggravated the rib injury that forced him to miss three months of the season. But it turns out the veteran slugger left the game with another issue entirely.

The severity of Judge's lower-leg injury is unknown at this time. Since the Yankees have already clinched a playoff spot this year, his early exit on Wednesday may have been precautionary. But with under two weeks remaining in the 2026 MLB regular season, New York fans will undoubtedly be closely monitoring this situation down the stretch.

Will Aaron Judge be ready for the Yankees' biggest regular-season series of the year?

Judge has played in just seven games since returning to the Yankees last week, going 4-for-23 with one home run. But New York's lineup is obviously much more dangerous when the eight-time All-Star is fully healthy. That's why it's no exaggeration to say the next updates on his potential lower-leg injury could drastically affect how the Yankees finish the season.

New York heads into Thursday with an 88-64 record. While the Yankees currently hold the American League's top Wild Card spot, they're now 4.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. That's noteworthy because Tampa Bay and New York are set to play a four-game series in the Bronx next week. As long as the Yankees are within striking distance of the Rays when that matchup begins, they still have a shot at winning the division.

With that crucial series possibly deciding who comes out on top in the AL East, the Yankees will likely want Judge in the lineup if possible. On the other hand, with a playoff spot already secured, New York could take a cautious approach and make sure their star slugger is ready for October. Either way, Yankees fans will be waiting for any news on the veteran outfielder's latest injury.