Tampa Bay Rays fans might be holding their breath right up until Saturday’s first pitch, because whether Drew Rasmussen faces Aaron Judge in Game 1 of the ALDS is still completely up in the air. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Friday that Judge’s status is “unlikely to be decided until shortly before the series begins,” keeping everyone guessing.
The Brutal Debate Inside the Yankees’ Clubhouse
This isn’t just about waiting, it’s about a full-blown internal struggle within the Yankees organization. Passan says some folks want Judge to play right away. They’re probably thinking about the power bat they desperately need. But then you’ve got others who are “wary of him further aggravating the injury and imperiling him for the remainder of the postseason.” They’d rather him wait “another week.” What a mess to have to deal with right before a huge playoff series, right?
The decision also gets tricky because Judge could come back as a designated hitter. And guess who just absolutely crushed it as a DH? Luis García Jr. helped close out the Wild Card sweep against the Boston Red Sox by opening Game 2 scoring with a home run. So, while Judge is a superstar, there’s another bat that just came up big in a high-stakes moment.
Judge’s Long Road Back Has Been ROUGH
This isn’t Judge’s first trip to the injured list this season, not by a long shot. He initially hoped to be back for the start of the postseason, but the Yankees kept him off the Wild Card roster. Manager Aaron Boone said it was because the club didn’t feel Judge was “all the way back” from the right calf strain that sent him to the IL back on Sept. 19.
But that calf injury wasn’t the start of his troubles. Judge has only appeared in seven games for the Yankees since way back on May 31, when he was shut down with a right rib injury. After finally returning on Sept. 8, he hit a brutal .174 with just one home run in 24 plate appearances before that calf strain popped up. The Yankees are obviously praying that giving him more time this time around will actually lead to a productive return. If he sits out the divisional series, he’d get an additional week to recover if the Yankees are lucky enough to advance to the ALCS. That’s a huge gamble, but it might be their only real play here.
Cole Takes the Mound As Rays Bring the Rest
So, while the Judge drama plays out, Gerrit Cole is scheduled to start Game 1 for the Yankees. First pitch is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET in St. Petersburg. He’ll be facing a Tampa Bay lineup that’s had a nice little break; the Rays clinched the AL’s top seed and got to sit out the entire Wild Card round. The Yankees, meanwhile, are coming off a two-game sweep, but they’ve got this massive, distracting question mark hanging over their biggest slugger. Talk about walking into a tough spot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply