Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Targets To Replace Aaron Judge: Is Spencer Jones The Answer?
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ribs and is expected to miss an extended period of time. This news has left fantasy owners scrambling. He will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, and we don't expect to see him back until at least August.
Breaking: Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture on the first rib on his right side, the Yankees announced Thursday.
- ESPN (@espn) June 5, 2026
He will be reimaged in approximately four to six weeks. pic.twitter.com/h60NTEQveY
While there is no true replacement for the kind of historic production Judge provides, fantasy owners are going to have to do their best piecing things together on the waiver wire to keep their championship hopes alive until he comes back. These are some of the top waiver wire targets to scoop up to fill in for an injured Judge.
OF Spencer Jones, New York Yankees
We start with the most obvious option in Jones, who should be available in just about every league. Jones is expected to be the direct long-term replacement for Judge for as long as he's on the IL. We don't expect him to produce anywhere close to the level of Judge, but he's a high-upside prospect slotting into a strong Yankees' lineup.
While Jones might be the most exciting option, he's also one of the riskiest. He lacks experience, and we don't know how he's going to play with the spotlight on him, trying to replace Judge and help get the Yankees to the top of the AL East. However, in deeper leagues, he could be your best option, and you should be racing to the waiver wire to get him.
OF Luke Raley, Seattle Mariners
If you are looking to replace the power you're losing with Judge, Raley is a great option. He's been red-hot, hitting eight home runs with 18 RBIs and batting .328 over the past month. He has 13 home runs this season, and you aren't going to find a hitter with more power than him on the waiver wire. On most formats, he should also be 1B eligible, which gives you some flexibility when adding him as well.
OF Carson Benge, New York Mets
After a slow start to the season, Benge picked it up in May, batting .306, driving in 15 RBIs, scoring 19 runs, and hitting two home runs. While his power numbers might not be overly impressive, he already has two more home runs in June, bringing his season total to six. He is a rookie who will bring upside to your lineup if he starts to realize his potential, even if he's stuck in a subpar Mets lineup and lacks a true sample size of sustained success.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 12:44 PM.