AARON JUDGE IS OFFICIALLY CLEARED FOR LIGHT ACTIVITY

Aaron Judge is finally making progress.

After what feels like an eternity of Yankee fans staring at the injured list like it was a missing persons report, Judge has been cleared for light activity after doctors checked the stress fracture in his right rib. Now before anyone starts planning the World Series parade, let's pump the brakes. "Light activity" doesn't mean he's taking batting practice or launching baseballs into the third deck. Instead, it means he's running, working out, and basically proving he can move without Yankee fans holding their breath every five seconds.

The best news of all? Judge isn't thinking about shutting it down for the season. "Oh, I'll be back this season," Judge said.

That's exactly what every Yankee fan wanted to hear because let's be honest, watching this offense without Aaron Judge has been about as exciting as waiting at the DMV on a Monday morning. Since he went down, the Yankees' lineup has looked like nine guys trying to hit a beach ball with a pool noodle. Strikeouts, weak ground balls, harmless fly balls—you name it, they've done it.

Judge says the next big hurdle is swinging a bat. Running and lifting weights are one thing, but hitting is another beast altogether. Considering he played through the injury for over a month before the pain became unbearable, nobody wants to see him rush back too soon. The Yankees need Aaron Judge healthy, not Aaron Judge making another trip to the injured list because he tried to play superhero.

Manager Aaron Boone knows it too. He admitted Judge is going to need plenty of time to ramp back up because he's been out so long. This isn't like missing a week in April. Judge will basically need his own version of spring training before he's ready to step back into the batter's box.

The clock, however, isn't exactly the Yankees' friend, and Judge knows it. "There are about 52 or 53 days left," he said. That's why every day matters.

The Yankees are chasing the Rays, fighting to stay in the playoff race, and trying to survive without the biggest bat in baseball. Brian Cashman did what he could at the trade deadline by bringing in Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos, and Judge said the Yankees got the hitters they wanted. Now those new additions have one job: keep this team alive until the Captain returns.

So here's my advice to the Yankees:

Don't let Aaron Judge carry groceries.

Don't let him lift anything heavier than a baseball.

Don't let him help anybody move.

Matter of fact, wrap the man in bubble wrap, drive him to the stadium in an armored truck, and don't let him do anything that could mess up that rib. Because the truth is that until No. 99 is back crushing baseballs into orbit, every Yankee fan will continue checking injury updates like they're refreshing their stocks.