yahoo
New York — While Aaron Judge's injury status remains uncertain, the Yankees captain is taking control of the narrative surrounding his calf strain. Judge's message is clear: don't count him out of next week's opening playoff round.
Just a day after manager Aaron Boone indicated that the team is planning for Judge to be absent from the Wild Card series roster, Judge expressed his determination to be in the lineup. "My goal is to come back as soon as I can," Judge said. "If (Boone) says I'm not going to be ready... I've got no control over that. I've got control over what I can do to get back as soon as I can. So, if you ask me if I'm going to be back, I'm going to tell you, yeah, I'm doing everything I can every single day I show up here to get back and be ready to go."
As the top AL Wild Card team, the Yankees are set to host a best-of-three series against the Boston Red Sox, starting Tuesday night.
Injury Details and Recovery Timeline
According to Boone, Judge has been diagnosed with a moderate grade right calf strain, which Judge clarified involves the soleus muscle. The injury's proximity to the Achilles tendon and the typical nature of calf strains suggest a recovery period of several weeks, putting Judge's 2026 season at risk. Boone added that he is not expecting Judge for the first round but hasn't ruled it out either.
Judge told ESPN that there have been extensive discussions within the organization about his injury status, "but I can't control what people say." When asked if he expected to be active next week, Judge replied, "I don't make the roster. I've got no idea." On Monday, Judge received a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) injection, which further limits his already restricted activity this week.
Team Outlook Without Judge
Boone reiterated that the Yankees' championship aspirations remain unchanged despite Judge's injury. "Look, we've played much of the year without him, and for the most part we've done a pretty good job," Boone said. "So, (our) guys are used to it."
Judge missed 84 team games earlier this season due to a fractured first right rib. He returned to the lineup on Sept. 8 and batted .174 (4-for-23) in seven games with one homer, a .513 OPS, and 13 strikeouts. After being lifted for a pinch-hitter during a Sept. 16 game at Minnesota, Judge was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Sept. 17.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Could Aaron Judge play in AL wild card vs Red Sox? He sure thinks so.
Originally reported by yahoo.