Yankees superstar Aaron Judge just got a platelet poor plasma injection in his sore right calf, and that’s putting his postseason status in serious, serious jeopardy. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed this went down Monday during the team’s off-day after they got back from Arizona. This isn’t just a minor tweak, folks; this is a star player dealing with a “moderate” strained soleus muscle that could keep him off the field when it matters most. Talk about a gut punch right before crunch time.
Okay, So What’s The Deal With Judge’s Leg?
Judge officially got placed on the 10-day injured list last Saturday. That calf discomfort, which showed up during last Wednesday’s game against Minnesota, forced him out in the sixth inning for a pinch hitter. Initially called “precautionary,” it turned out way more serious once symptoms stuck around and an MRI confirmed the strain. Boone didn’t drop the exact grade of the strain, but calling it “moderate” ain’t exactly comforting news. Especially when you consider he’s technically eligible for the regular-season finale on Sunday against Baltimore but won’t be doing “much activity” for days. Boone even flat out said they’re “planning on him not being a part of that” postseason action. While he’s not “ruling it out either,” it sounds like a real long shot, doesn’t it?
New York’s October Hangs By A Thread
This injury hits especially hard because Judge only just returned on September 8 from a broken rib that had kept him out for over three brutal months. Since coming back, he wasn’t exactly tearing it up, going a tough 4 for 23 with a whopping 13 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit in seven games. His overall season numbers reflect all that missed time: a .241 average, 18 homers, and 41 RBIs in only 66 games. He did crush a long homer on September 14 in Minnesota and then had the very next game off before this calf strain popped up. The Yankees are already staring down a seriously tough road, having entered Tuesday a single loss away from being officially eliminated from the AL East race. It looks like they’re headed straight for a second straight wild-card series, and who else but the Red Sox next week? Manager Boone tried to put a brave face on it, saying the team has “done a pretty good job” without him, adding, “The expectation doesn’t change with or without him.” While you gotta love that grit, let’s be real: you always want your absolute best player in the mix when the stakes are this high.
So, while Aaron Judge might technically be eligible to activate for the regular-season finale against Baltimore this Sunday, don’t hold your breath for any heroics. The team knows it, the fans know it, and you can bet the Red Sox are certainly well aware. The Yankees are going to have to prove they can beat anyone when they “play their game,” just like Boone said, and they’ll have to do it without their biggest slugger leading the charge. This is absolute crunch time, and the pressure on New York to perform is officially ON.
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.
Leave a Reply