Aaron Judge Injury Puts Yankees’ Playoff Plans in Jeopardy
The New York Yankees may have to begin the postseason without their biggest star.
Aaron Judge is unlikely to be available for the Yankees’ upcoming American League Wild Card Series after suffering a moderate right calf strain. Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that the team is preparing to face the possibility of playing without Judge when the playoffs begin next week.
Judge received a platelet-poor plasma injection in his calf Monday and is currently being shut down from baseball activities. Boone said the Yankees are planning as if Judge will not be part of the Wild Card Series, although he has not been completely ruled out.
The injury is another frustrating setback for Judge, who has already missed more than three months this season because of a right rib injury. He returned to the lineup on September 8 but played just seven games before the calf issue forced him back onto the injured list.
Judge has appeared in only 66 games this season, batting .241 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs. Those numbers are well below his typical production, largely because of the extended time he has spent sidelined.
The timing could not be worse for New York. The Yankees are currently positioned to host a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the Boston Red Sox lined up as their likely opponent. The series is scheduled to begin September 29.
Boone has left the door open for Judge to return if his recovery progresses faster than expected, but he acknowledged that the Yankees are not counting on it. With the playoffs only about a week away, the timeline is extremely tight.
For a Yankees team hoping to make a deep postseason run, losing Judge would remove one of the most dangerous hitters in their lineup.
New York has already spent much of the season adjusting to Judge’s absence. Now, the Yankees may have to do it again when the games matter most.
