NEW YORK — Maybe nothing has changed with Aaron Judge’s status, but the Yankees captain prefers to conduct the narrative regarding his calf injury.
Judge’s message is, essentially: Don’t rule me out of next week’s opening playoff round.
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A day after manager Aaron Boone said that “we’re planning on him not being a part of that” Wild Card series roster next week, Judge said he’s aiming to be in that lineup.
“My goal is to come back as soon as I can. If (Boone) says I’m not going to be ready…I’ve got no control over that,” said Judge. “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.”
Locked in as the AL’s top wild card, the Yankees will host a best-of-three series beginning Tuesday night, most likely against Boston.
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More: Yankees watch Rays party but NY is still AL’s team to beat without Judge
Per Boone, Judge was diagnosed with a “moderate” grade right calf strain, which Judge clarified as the soleus muscle.Its proximity near the Achilles tendon, and the general nature of calf strains, suggests a weeks-long recovery, placing Judge’s 2026 season in jeopardy.
Ultimately, Boone added that he’s “not expecting” Judge for the first round. “But I’m not ruling it out either.”
Judge told ESPN that “we’ve done a lot of talks” within the organization about his injury status, “but I can’t control what people say.”
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When asked by ESPN if he expected to be active next week, Judge said: “I don’t make the roster. I’ve got no idea.”
Judge had a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) injection Monday, further limiting his already limited activity this week.
Boone restated that the Yankees’ championship goals haven’t been altered due to Judge’s injury.
Aaron Judge looks on from the dugout at Yankee Stadium .
“Look, we’ve played much of the year without him, and for the most part we’ve done a pretty good job,” said Boone. “So, (our) guys are used to it.”
Judge missed 84 team games 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. Lifted for a pinch-hitter during a Sept. 16 game at Minnesota, Judge was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Sept. 17.
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As for the Red Sox, Boston is all-but assured of the No. 5 seed, but as of Thursday, the possibility still existed that they could slip to the No. 6 seed. Boston and the Chicago White Sox entered Thursday separated by four games in the AL Wild Card race, with four to play. The White Sox also trail the Cleveland Guardians by just one game in the AL Central race.
Falling to No. 6 would mean the Red Sox would avoid the Yankees in the Wild Card series, drawing wither Houston or Texas. Whomever the Red Sox face in the first round, it will be a road series.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Could Aaron Judge play in AL wild card vs Red Sox? He sure thinks so
