The New York Yankees close the regular season Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles with their focus already on next week’s American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox.
The best-of-three matchup starts Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Whether captain Aaron Judge will be in the lineup remains the central question.
Judge has been on the injured list since mid-September with a right calf strain. Manager Aaron Boone offered the latest update Sunday morning, two days before Game 1.
Boone said Judge has been doing plyos and treadmill work. Otherwise, “not a whole lot yet.”
The three-time MVP received a platelet-poor plasma injection earlier in the week. That treatment limited his activity while the muscle recovered.
Boone initially said the club was planning as if Judge would miss the series. He later softened that stance after Judge spoke publicly.
“My goal is to come back as soon as I can. That’s what we’re doing right now,” Judge said. “If [Boone] says I’m not gonna be ready, I’ve got no control over that. I’ve got control over what I can do to try to get back.”
Boone then said the Yankees would follow the body’s response.
“We’ve got days away until that,” Boone said. “Not that I’m necessarily expecting that one way or the other, but we’re going to listen to the body and see how he heals. If he’s in a position to [play], obviously we’re going to want him. So, no, I haven’t ruled anything out.”
Judge, 34, has dealt with multiple injuries this season. A stress fracture in a rib kept him out from late May until early September. He played only seven games after that return before the calf problem surfaced Sept. 16.
In 66 games this year he is hitting .241 with 18 home runs, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS. Those numbers are well below his career marks of .291, 386 homers and a 1.020 OPS.
The Yankees locked in the top AL wild-card spot. Boston is expected to be the opponent after both clubs finished behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
Without Judge the outfield would lean on Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones and Heliot Ramos. New York still possesses a strong pitching staff and veteran presence, but losing its best hitter in a short series against a rival raises the degree of difficulty.
Judge has said he wants to play right field rather than serve only as a designated hitter if he returns. The strain is in the soleus muscle, which affects running and the plant leg in his swing.
The Yankees have not announced a firm timetable. Boone has emphasized that late-season injuries often come with ranges rather than exact dates.
Sunday’s finale against Baltimore is the last chance for other players to make a case for the postseason roster. Judge remains eligible to come off the injured list but is not expected to appear in the regular-season closer.
The series against Boston would be a rematch of last October’s wild-card round, which New York won. Judge produced in that series. His availability this time is the largest remaining variable.
Team officials will continue to monitor his progress daily. Any decision on Game 1 will come after further evaluation of how the calf responds to the limited work he has done so far.
