The New York Yankees might be the best team in the American League in 2026.

First baseman Ben Rice has been one of the best hitters in baseball through the first third of the season. Gerrit Cole is finally back on a big league mound for the first time since 2024. Cam Schlitter has been outstanding, Cody Bellinger has been excellent in his second season in the Bronx.

But it’s no secret that the Yankees will only go as far as Aaron Judge takes them. The all-world superstar, early on in the season, looked like he might be on his way to another record-setting season. But he slumped, at least by his standards, in May, putting up “just” an .805 OPS.

On Thursday, we might have found out why.

NEW YORK YANKEES GET BAD NEWS ON AARON JUDGE’S MYSTERIOUS INJURY: ‘WE JUST WANT CLARITY’

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees sits in the dugout before a game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Calif., on May 29, 2026. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Judge, for the first time this season, didn’t play in Tuesday’s game. And the Yankees weren’t exactly forthcoming as to why. On Wednesday, Aaron Boone admitted there was some uncertainty as to what exactly the problem was.

“He’s going back for some more imaging,” the Yankees manager told reporters after Wednesday’s game. “They just want to get some more specific spots, and so we’ll have more on that later.”

“We just want clarity on what we’re exactly dealing with,” he added. “Then we can set the course of action and kind of have an idea what the timeline is going to be.”

On Thursday, they got that clarity. And while it could have been worse for New York, it also could have been much better.

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New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge bats during practice before the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., on May 30, 2026. (Neville E. Guard/Imagn Images)

The Yankees announced late Thursday evening that Judge had been diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. It’s expected to keep him out indefinitely, though he’ll be re-examined in around 4-6 weeks to see how he’s progressing. Not ideal.

But the silver lining for the Yankees organization and their fans is that “Judge is expected to return at some point this season,” per the team’s statement.

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Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium in New York City on June 2, 2026. The Guardians defeated the Yankees 9-4. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

New York has the advantage of playing in a weak American League, all but guaranteeing a postseason spot. Even without Judge for much of the rest of the season. But the surprising Tampa Bay Rays are holding on to first in the AL East, and losing out on the division could jeopardize a potential first round bye. And of course, if he doesn’t heal as hoped, this could turn into a season-ending injury.

Still, if Judge recovers and makes it back before October, he instantly makes the Yankees favorites to make a deep run. Even injured, he was one of the best hitters in baseball. Healthy? He’s a monster.

Olentangy Orange (Division I), New Albany (Division II), Watterson (Division III), Fairfield Union (Division IV) and Columbus Academy (Division V) will represent central Ohio in the OHSAA baseball state tournament.

In regional finals June 4, Orange defeated Newark 12-4, New Albany beat Big Walnut 5-1, Watterson defeated London 5-0, Fairfield Union beat Richmond Edison 5-2, Highland lost to Sandusky Perkins 6-5 in Division IV and Amanda-Clearcreek lost to Findlay Liberty-Benton 3-1 in Division V. Academy defeated Versailles 3-2 in a regional final June 3.

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Here are recaps of the Orange and New Albany wins:

Olentangy Orange ousts ‘scrappy’ Newark

With his team trailing 1-0 after the first inning, Orange coach Tom Marker gathered his players together in the dugout.

“I told our guys we’re going to get punched at some point,” Marker said. “Newark is scrappy. … We knew they were going to be competitive. We saw that when they [beat] Olentangy Liberty [1-0 in a regional semifinal]. I told them you’re going to get punched, stay even and do what you do.”

The Pioneers responded, taking the lead for good with three runs in the second before pulling away to win at Beavers Field in Lancaster, advancing to their third state tournament and first since 2023.

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Orange (24-5) plays Cincinnati St. Xavier in a state semifinal at 7 p.m. June 11 at 717 Credit Union Park in Akron.

Jake Luling led the Pioneers offensively against Newark with a home run, double, single and five RBIs. His three-run double in the second provided an early spark, and he added a solo home run in the fourth and a run-scoring single in the sixth.

“It’s really special,” Luling said of winning a regional title. “We have to keep grinding and putting in the work at practice, and I think we have a real shot.”

Orange ace Reid Hemrick went the first five innings to get the win, allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked two.

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Moses Crane and Kodie Steele had three hits apiece for Newark (22-8), which managed to close within 4-2 in the fourth and 6-4 in the fifth in its first regional final since 2006.

Newark pitchers hit seven Orange batters.

“This hurts,” Newark coach Mike Steele said. “You never want to finish the season with a loss. Unfortunately, there’s only going to be one team that ends with a win. It was a great season. I’m very proud of our guys. Our guys came in and accomplished things that haven’t been done in 20 years or so here at Newark.”

New Albany again eliminates Big Walnut

For the second consecutive season, New Albany’s path to the state tournament went through Big Walnut.

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Junior pitcher Aidan Wyche allowed six hits while striking out seven and walking two in 6⅓ innings, leading the Eagles past Big Walnut in a regional final at Grove City.

Laat season, New Albany beat Big Walnut 6-0 in the regional final before losing to Amherst Steele 3-2 in a state semifinal.

“This is incredible,” New Albany coach Mike Sandman said. “I’m so proud of the guys. They came here on a mission. It was a slow start, but we just kept putting the pressure on them. It was amazing to just see our guys keep chipping away at it.”

The Eagles (24-7) play Harrison in a state semifinal at 4 p.m. June 12 at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton.

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Big Walnut took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trey Kaylor was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

New Albany went ahead 2-1 on Remy Trautner’s RBI single in the fourth.

Carson Skinner, Justin Speert and Nick Nardell had two hits apiece for New Albany.

Jake Neff had three hits and Nolan Buirley added two to lead Big Walnut (19-8).

“I’m extremely proud of the guys,” Big Walnut coach Mike Stafford said. “One game doesn’t define a season. It’s the course of the season. One team is going to win it. Unfortunately, we came up short, but I wouldn’t trade these guys or this program for anything.”

High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Five central Ohio baseball teams advance to OHSAA state tournament

The deal can be accessed using the discount code RETRO20, though it expires on June 11

England supporters are rushing to take advantage of a 20% discount on retro shirts ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sport retailer Kitbag has launched an exclusive offer ahead of the tournament’s kick-off on June 11, slashing 20% off its entire England retro range.

The deal can be accessed using the discount code RETRO20, though it expires on June 11. Those who act before the deadline can unlock savings across the Score Draw England Retro collection, which features more than 15 iconic shirts dating back to 1966.

Among the highlights is the England 1990 World Cup Finals Third Shirt (£32) — the legendary blue jersey worn during Italia ’90 that was immortalised by New Order’s World Cup anthem, World in Motion.

Also available is the England 1996 European Championship Shirt (£32), which made its debut the year England hosted the tournament for the first time. Worn by icons such as Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne, it will stir memories of Gazza’s iconic goal against Scotland and the infamous dentist chair celebration.

Get 20% off England retro shirts at Kitbag

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Kitbag is knocking 20% off its entire England retro shirt collection when fans use the code RETRO20 by June 11.

For those wishing to look even further back, the England 1982 World Cup Finals Shirt (£32), donned by the likes of Kevin Keegan and Bryan Robson at that year’s tournament in Spain, is also included in the offer. The England 1982 World Cup Finals Away Shirt (£32) is equally part of the deal.

Fans who grew up watching the ‘Golden Generation’ could go for the England 2004 European Championship Shirt (£32). This jersey was worn by a then 18-year-old Wayne Rooney when he made his unforgettable first appearance on the international stage in Portugal.

Other standout options include the vintage England 1966 World Cup Final Away No6 Shirt (£32), England 1996 European Championship Away Shirt (£32) and England 1998 World Cup Finals Shirt (£32). The Kitbag sale comes as England touched down in the USA on Monday (June 1) ahead of their two pre-World Cup friendlies in Florida.

Thomas Tuchel’s squad will take on New Zealand on Saturday (June 6) and Costa Rica on Wednesday (June 10). They will subsequently travel to their World Cup headquarters in Kansas before their tournament begins against Croatia on June 17.

Ahead of the tournament, retailers including the England Official Store and Sports Direct are offering the full range of England’s 2026 World Cup kits. Prices start at £64.99 for kids and £89.99 for adults, for the new Nike home, away and goalkeeper jerseys.

For those browsing Kitbag’s retro sale, the retailer has garnered thousands of favourable reviews from customers on Trustpilot, with one commenting: “I ordered an England kit for my son, I found the website easy to navigate around and helpful when it came to sizing. I was kept up to date via email and received my package within a week of ordering and everything was in an excellent condition.” One review reads: “Seven-year-old very happy with his new England gear. Great communication around shipping information, product arrived within promised timeframe and exceeded our expectations. Would purchase from Kitbag again.”

A four-star review noted the sizing was ‘smaller than needed’, with the buyer commenting: “Was exactly as expected, slightly smaller possibly than needed, I should have checked size before ordering.” Elsewhere, another five-star review states: “Good quality England kit for toddlers. Retro as well, he looks so cool in it thank you.”

The NBA announced the punishment they issued to the fan who ran through the court in Game 1 of the Finals. The incident happened with 6:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, with the New York Knicks leading 92-86 against the San Antonio Spurs.

One fan ran into the court holding a phone and tried to get a selfie with Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. The play had to be stopped as security got hold of him and dragged him out of the Frost Bank Center.

According to the league, the fan who ran onto the court was handed a lifetime ban from all arenas. Additionally, a second fan who had involvement with the incident will also receive a lifetime ban, according to an NBA spokesperson.

After it was confirmed that the league would ban two fans, most people were split about the decision. Here are some of what the other fans said about the punishment.

“Stupid kid, no other way to put it,” a fan said.

“Wonder how much he bet on Kalshi beforehand that somebody would rush the court in Game 1,” another fan commented.

“the way one impulsive decision can create a lifetime consequence will never stop being wild to me,” one fan said.

Others believed that since he did not actually inflict any harm, the sentence was excessive.

“This is ridiculous at least he didnt hurt nobody why needed to be banned for good? Smh,” someone commented.

“I get the protocols and standards but it ain’t like he brought a 🔫 or something 🤧🤧,” a comment read.

“The NBA banning a dude for life over a blurry selfie is soft as hell. Fans built this league, not suits scared of a tall French guy. Free him,” one fan commented.

Victor Wembanyama Addressed the Fan Incident at the NBA Finals

One of the goals of the fan who ran onto the court was to get Victor Wembanyama’s attention and a selfie. When it happened, the replay on the broadcast showed Wembanyama’s delighted reaction to the fan.

The NBA star was asked about his thoughts after the game.

“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time (when) a bat crossed the court.”

Wembanyama referred to an incident that happened in 2009, during a Halloween game between the Spurs and the Sacramento Kings. A bat flew inside the arena, and the game had to be stopped. Hall of Fame star Manu Ginobili swatted the bat with his hand before the game could carry on.

Ginobili also had to receive vaccination shots for potential rabies.