There was a feeling of relief more than devastation Saturday with the Yankees after Aaron Judge learned his elbow diagnosis.

The two-time MVP will be placed on the 10-day injured list with what an MRI exam revealed to be a flexor strain of the right elbow, but there is nothing wrong with his ulnar collateral ligament and he will not be shut down long term.

Judge said he’s able to swing the bat and only feels pain when he throws the ball, but he could not avoid the IL stint.

“Had it checked out and got the news and now we go from here,” Judge said after sitting out Saturday’s 9-4 loss to the Phillies. “I never really had any elbow issues or anything like that, so you never know what you’re getting into.

“But I’m glad. It just is what it is.”

Aaron Judge suffered a flexor strain in his right arm. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Aaron Boone said Judge likely will return as a designated hitter and then ramp up his throwing routine, perhaps as soon as the IL stint is completed. He added that Giancarlo Stanton might get some work and eventually see some action in the outfield until Judge is able to play defense again.

“No acute injury to the UCL, so I think overall that’s good news,” Boone said. “Part of this is with this strain, if he goes out there and plays with it, he could put that UCL in jeopardy. So we gotta get that healed up … and hopefully a few days in, he’ll start swinging the bat again.”

The slugger winced after making a throw Tuesday night in Toronto, and said he felt it again on another throw later that night.

The seven-time All-Star served as the DH Wednesday against the Blue Jays, but he returned to right field in the series opener Friday night against the Phillies.

“I just felt a little something trying to throw out a runner at the plate in Toronto, but you feel stuff throughout your whole body throughout a whole season and don’t really think much of it,” said Judge, who was seen before Saturday’s game by team doctor Christopher Ahmad. “It was just not being able to throw the past couple of days.

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in the dugout after he scores on his 350th homer, a two-run shot during the 9th inning. Jason Szenes / New York Post

“I was pretty adamant about playing [Friday], but if I had to make a play for the team, not being able to do it, that kind of hurt.”

Losses the past two days dropped the skidding Yanks’ record to 14-23 since June 13, and left them a season-high 6 ¹/₂ games behind the first-place Blue Jays in the AL East entering Toronto’s game Saturday night in Detroit.

“They’re gonna be just fine, guys are gonna step up,” Judge said. “But I wanted to be out there for the team, and do my thing … especially this time of year. So you’re upset. You always want to be out there playing.”

Aaron Judge hits a SAC fly allowing New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice to score during the 7th inning at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, USA, Friday, July 25, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Judge flirted with hitting .400 through the first two months of the regular season, and he still leads the majors at .342 with 37 home runs, two behind league leader Cal Raleigh of the Mariners.

Judge leads the majors in batting average, on-base percentage (.449), slugging percentage (.711) and OPS (1.160), and his AL-high total of 85 RBIs has him in the running for the triple crown.

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The 33-year-old Judge has missed significant time to injuries multiple times in parts of 10 seasons in The Bronx, including lengthy absences due to wrist and shoulder ailments.

The Yanks signed Judge to a nine-year contract worth a team record $360 million after he eclipsed Roger Maris’ AL record with 62 home runs in 2022. The seven-time All-Star fell a few homers short of matching that number last season with 58 in his second MVP campaign.

“He was OK with [the diagnosis], especially when you may fear the worst,” Boone said. “So I think all in all we got good news today, but as you guys know he wants to be out there every single day. He wanted to play today.

“But he’s onboard and understands and hopefully this is something that serves everyone well, and this 10-day, two-week period is a good healing time.”