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New York Yankees slugging outfielder Aaron Judge has left open the possibility that he’ll undergo surgery on his ailing right elbow.  “We’ll definitely do some work on it,” Judge told reporters on Wednesday following his team’s elimination by the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series. “We’ll do some work on it and get it right.”

When asked if that meant surgery, Judge replied: “I’m not a doctor. I don’t know.”

Yankees eliminated from MLB playoffs: Could Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone’s stability be part of the problem? Mike AxisaThe 33-year-old Judge is favorite to win AL MVP honors for a second straight year, and he’s coming off a 2025 postseason in which he slashed .500/.581/.692 in seven games — including a clutch, three-run homer in Game 3 against Toronto.

But while the flexor strain didn’t perceptibly affect him at the plate, where he remains the best hitter in baseball, it did in the field. Judge had a minimum stint on the 10-day injured list in late July until early August, and upon his return to the active roster he served exclusively at DH until September, when he began seeing occasional time in right field. Over the final two weeks of the regular season, he played regularly in right, and that carried over into the playoffs.

Early on in Judge’s return to the field, his throws from right field — a position in which arm strength is coveted — were plainly compromised. As time went by, though, Judge began to show more customary zip on the ball.

An offseason of attention to that elbow, whether or not that involves a surgical procedure, should put Judge in a better place defensively in 2026. That, of course, isn’t the only pivotal unknown heading into another title-less offseason for the Yankees.