New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone straight-up told reporters Tuesday that franchise star Aaron Judge won’t be playing in their wild-card series next week. Talk about a bombshell! But hold up, because Judge himself dropped an even bigger one a day later. The three-time AL MVP told ESPN he plans to be ready for Game 1 of the wild-card series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. “That’s what the plan is,” Judge said. “Try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go.” Can you believe the drama unfolding in the Bronx right now?
Judge’s Battle: His Body vs. The Team’s Call
So, what’s going on behind the scenes? Judge has been on the injured list since last Saturday because of a right calf strain. This whole season has been a rough one for him, honestly, arguably the worst of his career. He reportedly got a platelet-poor plasma injection in the knee on Monday and is just waiting for clearance to get back into activity with that injured leg. The Yankees *could* activate him on the final day of the regular season, technically, but his actual return date has been totally up in the air. Boone made it sound pretty definitive, saying, “We’re planning on him not being a part of that,” which seemed to rule Judge out until at least the ALDS. But Judge is clearly not on the same page. He said he’s had plenty of discussions with the Yankees’ decision-makers about his prognosis. Yet, when asked if he’d be on the wild-card roster, he had to say, “We’ve done a lot of talks, but I can’t control what people say. So you’ll have to talk to them about that.” Man, that’s a whole lot of unspoken tension right there!
A Trying Season And A Looming Showdown
If the season had ended Wednesday, the Yankees would be facing the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card series for the second straight year. They’ve already clinched the top wild-card spot in the AL, with the Red Sox three games ahead of the Chicago White Sox for that second spot. So the stage is set. But what version of Aaron Judge would even show up if he pushed through? This has been a trying season for the 34-year-old. He’s only played 66 games this year, thanks to that calf injury and a stress fracture in his ribs. That’s the fewest games he’s played outside of his brief stint in 2016 and the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Even when he *has* been on the field, he’s underperformed, slashing just .241/.360/.511 with a 141 OPS+. Again, outside of 2016, that’s the worst of his career. Aaron Judge wants to play, no doubt about it. But the big question remains: will his calf, or the Yankees’ front office, actually let him?
Game 1 of that wild-card series is set for Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. All eyes will be on the dugout and that Yankees roster. Will Judge be there, staring down the Red Sox? Will he be sidelined, watching his team fight without him? This isn’t just about a calf; it’s about the entire tone of the Yankees’ postseason run. Get ready for some fireworks, one way or another.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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