Aaron Judge was out there in Somerset, New Jersey, Wednesday, taking live batting practice. Yeah, the Yankees captain is trying to get himself back on the field, hoping to be available later in the postseason if New York can even make it that far.
The Grind Back
This guy has been sidelined since way back on September 16 with a strained right calf. That’s why he wasn’t even on the roster for the AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox. Remember Tuesday night’s 9-0 opener win? Judge wasn’t out there with his teammates along the first-base line for introductions. Manager Aaron Boone said, “I think he was getting treatment.” So while the squad was kicking off their playoff run, Judge was reportedly grinding on his recovery. He was running in the outfield before Tuesday’s game, and then Wednesday, he actually went to the Yankees’ Double-A farm team ballpark just to get those swings in. He was due back at Yankee Stadium to watch Game 2 Wednesday night, so he’s still locked in, but clearly not ready for prime time.
The Road Ahead, The Brutal Truth
Look, it’s a huge question mark. If New York actually punches their ticket to a best-of-five Division Series against Tampa Bay, that starts Saturday. But Judge’s availability? Boone’s keeping it real, saying, “Probably too early to tell.” And honestly, that’s the kicker. This is a three-time AL MVP we’re talking about, but he was limited to just 66 games this season. The 34-year-old slugger put up a .241 average with 18 homers, 41 RBIs, and an .871 OPS. Not terrible for limited games, right? But check out September: he hit a brutal .174 with one homer and just three RBIs. So, even if he could play, what version of Judge would we get? It’s a tough spot.
The Yankees also got other injury woes stacking up. Left-hander Ryan Weathers, who’s been out since August 22 with a left forearm flexor strain, was supposed to throw a bullpen Wednesday. But on the flip side, Clarke Schmidt is done for the year. The 30-year-old right-hander only just got back on September 16 at Minnesota, his first big league appearance since Tommy John surgery way back on July 11, 2025. Then bam, right biceps inflammation put him right back on the injured list. Brutal.
So, the Yankees are watching Game 2 tonight, trying to keep their postseason alive. For Judge, it’s about seeing if he can even get himself into fighting shape for a potential Division Series. We’re all holding our breath to see what happens, but “too early to tell” pretty much sums up the high stakes here for the captain.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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