New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in the first rib on his right side, the club announced Thursday night. The team expects Judge to return at some point this season and will conduct additional imaging in four to six weeks.

Judge missed his third straight game Thursday after undergoing a CT scan that morning. He had also received an MRI earlier in the week following a meeting with a specialist. The injury was initially detected during testing on Monday's off day.

The three-time AL MVP is batting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs this season. He has hit just one homer in his last 18 games since May 10, snapping an 11-game drought with a walk-off two-run drive against Tampa Bay on May 24.

Judge suffered a similar stress fracture in a right rib in March 2020, an injury that originated from a diving play in September 2019. He avoided missing time on that occasion due to the pandemic-shortened season.

Last season, Judge won the AL batting title with a career-best .331 average to go with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs in 152 games. He did miss 10 games with a right elbow flexor strain but avoided surgery after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection.