By Cavan Nicholas
After missing 95 games this season, Yankees captain and right fielder Aaron Judge hoped to return to the field in time for game one of the Wild Card Series against the Red Sox on Tuesday night. In an early-season game against the Houston Astros, Judge dove for a fly ball, leading to a stress fracture in his right rib. Judge returned briefly in September but suffered a calf strain in his 7th game off the injured list.
Judge’s most recent injury was expected to sideline him for at least the Wild Card Series of the playoffs. This would give the Red Sox a massive advantage. With Judge in the lineup, the Yankees are winning 62.1% of the time compared to just 54.7% without him. The three-time American League MVP sought to provide power and consistency to a Yankees lineup that ranks 26th in batting average.
Last Tuesday, manager Aaron Boone announced that he did not expect Judge to return in time for the playoffs. Boone said that Judge continued to deal with a moderate-grade right calf strain, discouraging any expectations of the captain being active against the Red Sox.
Soon after these comments, Aaron Judge shocked the baseball world by revealing his own opinion on his injury, announcing that he plans to be able to play against the Red Sox. Judge also went on to question his manager’s comments, saying, “I don’t know why he used those words”.
Additionally, the Yankees searched for more reinforcements as DH Giancarlo Stanton fought to return from his own injury. Stanton has dealt with a calf injury dating back to late April. He looks to return to his 2024 playoff form, when he mashed 7 home runs in 14 games.
Early Tuesday morning, the club released its finalized roster for the series. This roster included Stanton, but left out Judge. The two sluggers have combined for 842 career home runs. No current pair of teammates has combined for more.
Judge plans to make a return if the Yankees advance to the divisional round. He hopes to provide his bat while serving as a DH. This will require outfielder Heliot Ramos to continue his efforts in right field. The Red Sox, who hold the third-best team ERA in baseball, will return their focus to the rest of the Yankees’ lineup ahead of Tuesday’s clash.
