Aaron Judge desperately wants to play baseball, but whether the New York Yankees will actually put their main man on the wild-card roster? That’s still a total mystery heading into their best-of-three playoff showdown with the Boston Red Sox.
The Frustrating Road Back
Look, we all know Judge has been through it this year. It’s been a nightmare. He missed a solid three months earlier in the season because of a stress fracture in his rib. He finally made his return on September 8, got into a few games, and honestly, it was rough: a lackluster 4-for-23 at the plate. And then, BAM! On September 16, a right calf strain sidelines him again, sending him right back to the bench. This whole saga has got the entire tri-state area buzzing with intrigue, wondering if their most important character will even be on the field for the playoffs.
Monday’s Workout: All Hype, Little Clarity
So, Monday rolls around, and you’ve got this whole pre-postseason series vibe beneath a glum, pewter sky. Judge takes four or five rounds of light batting practice. Yeah, he clobbered one over the wall in deep left-center, which is always great to see. But he also uncharacteristically flared a ball foul into the seats. To any amateur watching, he looked like a physically compromised version of himself. You can’t make a diagnosis from 30 swings against a soft-tossing coach, but the eye test was not great.
About half an hour later, the real drama started. Judge stepped in for live at-bats against Elmer Rodríguez, an up-down reserve hurler. Teammates and team officials packed the home dugout to watch, rap music bouncing from the stadium speakers. Skipper Aaron Boone perched in his usual spot, arms slung over the railing. Media members gathered behind home plate. The yard bubbled with anticipation. What happened? Judge saw five pitches and swung at none, drawing himself a “walk” back to the dugout. He returned for another plate appearance against southpaw Ryan Weathers, drawing another free pass, though he did swing through a down-and-in breaking ball. His third at-bat finished with a well-struck bounder that ricocheted off Rodríguez’s glove. His fourth? Swingless. Seriously, “little learned, little gained” is the perfect way to sum it up. His status, as of Monday evening, is completely unchanged.
What’s Next for the Wild-Card Showdown?
Judge told reporters he’s “feeling great,” saying he’s “been doing a lot of work back there to try to get back as soon as I can” and “been swinging it for a couple days” and “moving around.” He added he was “excited to get on the field today to see what we can do.” Boone was a bit more cautious, just saying Judge is “making progress” and they’ll “continue to see where he’s at.” Here’s the kicker: as of Monday morning, Judge hadn’t even run the bases! So, while both the player and manager refused to rule out the possibility, envisioning him galloping around the Yankee Stadium outfield on Tuesday? Yeah, that’s a tough one. If he plays against Boston, expect it to be as a DH or pinch hitter. We’re all just holding our breath until those full rosters drop Tuesday morning. This wild-card series is already wild, and Judge’s status is only adding to the chaos.
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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