What happened: Aaron Judge remains sidelined by the stress fracture in his first rib he says he suffered in April, and as of July 17 he had not been cleared for upper-body or baseball activities with one more doctor evaluation still pending. Giancarlo Stanton, also working back from a calf strain, has only just begun a running progression, leaving Ben Rice to carry an outsized share of the offense.

Why it matters: Since Judge left the lineup June 1, the Yankees rank 26th in MLB in runs scored and 27th in OPS, pressure that falls on general manager Brian Cashman to canvass the trade market for upgrades at catcher, third base, shortstop and the outfield. Toronto, San Diego, Baltimore and Cincinnati are among the teams that could turn seller if a bad week hits, with Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman drawing interest from clubs needing starting pitching.

What to watch: Watch for word from Judge's remaining doctor visit in the coming weeks and for Yankees moves at catcher and infield as the trade deadline approaches.