Aaron Judge’s postseason outlook has taken a turn toward hopeful, with the Yankees’ star right fielder working to make himself available for this week’s American League Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.
New York had initially prepared for Judge to sit out the best-of-three set after he suffered what manager Aaron Boone described as a moderate right calf strain. But Judge is now pushing through a recovery plan that could put him back in uniform when the clubs open Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Boone is expected to provide a clearer update when he meets the media Monday afternoon. Game 1, a rematch of last season’s Wild Card Series, is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Tuesday on NBC and Peacock.
Judge targeting a return to right field
Judge received a platelet-poor plasma injection in his right calf last Monday and was slated to begin limited baseball activity during the week. He said the Yankees are treating the injury with the urgency the calendar demands.
“We’re doing all we can to move this along faster,” Judge said, noting that the timetable might have been handled differently had the injury occurred in May rather than on the doorstep of October.
The 34-year-old identified the injured area as the soleus muscle, a lower-calf muscle that plays a key role in both running and the mechanics of hitting. If he is cleared, Judge said he intends to take his regular position in right field instead of returning only as a designated hitter.
“My aim is to get back as quickly as possible,” Judge said. “If somebody asks whether I’ll be back, I’m going to say yes. Every day I come here, I’m doing whatever I can to be ready.”
A difficult season could lead into October
Judge has already endured a long interruption this season, missing 84 games because of a rib injury. He returned in early September but appeared in only seven games before the calf issue surfaced.
In his time on the field, Judge has hit .241 with a .360 on-base percentage and a .511 slugging percentage, adding 18 home runs. The Yankees are trying to get that bat into a lineup facing a familiar Boston opponent in a short series where one healthy star can change the temperature of the whole clubhouse.
Boone’s initial public description of the injury did not sit especially well with Judge. The manager had said the club was planning as though Judge would not play during the series, while leaving open the possibility of a faster return.
Judge said he questioned Boone’s use of that wording, but made clear there is no fracture in their relationship.
“Boonie is my guy, and I’ll always support him,” Judge said. “I know he makes the decisions he believes are right. As a player, you never want to hear that kind of news, but it isn’t something I control. My job is getting back and being prepared.”
For now, the Yankees will wait on Judge’s next round of activity and Boone’s Monday update. The series begins Tuesday, and the club’s biggest question remains whether its biggest bat can answer the bell.
