Yankees news: Watch Aaron Judge blast his first home run since returning from IL

The New York Yankees are thrilled to have Aaron Judge back. After missing three months with a right rib stress fracture, Judge was activated on Monday. The Yankees were playing the Minnesota Twins on the road.

In the top of the eigth inning, Judge was up at the plate. With New York leading 4-2, Judge smashed it off reliever A.J. Minter for a three-run homer.

It was the perfect exclamation point for an 8-3 win. The Yankees also clinched a playoff berth . In the end, Judge finished the game going 1-for-4 with three RBIs.

Judge had endured months of grueling rehab and uncertainty about what the season had in store for him. In May, he began experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder and upper rib area. At first, it was thought to be a bone bruise, but it turned out to be a stress fracture.

Nevertheless, the Bronx Bombers persevered without Judge in the lineup. Now for the ninth time in 10 seasons, they are back in October.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are leading in the American League Wild Card standings. They are 6.5 games ahead of the second-place Boston Red Sox .

According to Yanks Go Yard, the magic number for the Bronx Bombers to clinch is down to one. On Wednesday, the Yankees will conclude the three-game series against the Twins.

Then, they will head to Arizona to play three games against the Diamondbacks . Afterward, they will be back home for four games against the Tampa Bay Rays . However, painstackingly tiresome, Aaron Judge is back where he belongs.