The answer right now is that no one knows for sure if Aaron Judge will play. The final roster for the American League Division Series must be submitted by the New York Yankees before Saturday morning. Since mid-September, Judge has been sidelined due to a calf strain, leaving his return as a major uncertainty.
Manager Boone Weighs the Options
Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not making this call in a vacuum. He knows the trainers hold the real power here. “The trainers will obviously play a big part in this. As the day unfolds, we’ll see where we’re at and what it potentially looks like for the series,” Boone said. This is not a guess. It is a medical decision based on how the body responds to the work.
Earlier in the week, Boone informed reporters that Judge was “making progress,” yet this did not prevent him from missing the Wild Card sweep. According to reports, the slugger has engaged in some running, but the slugger’s status remains uncertain. The team has a specific deadline to lock in the 26 names on the roster before the first pitch at 6:30 p.m. in St. Petersburg.
The Risk of Adding a Player Who Might Break
There is a real cost to this gamble. If the Yankees add Judge now and he cannot play, they lose a roster spot they might need later. CBS Sports reported that if a player is replaced due to injury, the new player must sit out the next round of the playoffs. That means if Judge gets hurt again, the Yankees could be stuck with a man on the roster they cannot use in the ALCS.
Boone is looking at the days and the potential usage. “It’s just as far as him and the field, potentially,” Boone said. “But we’re looking at the days and so it’s more, ‘Is he going to be available at some point in this series, potentially, as a player?’ That’s what we’re kind of weighing and then seeing where he’s at now these last few days having taken live [batting practice].”
The stats show Judge is a force when healthy, with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs this season. But a three-time MVP with a calf strain is not the same player as one who is fully fit. The Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox 18-2 without him, proving the team can win even when the star sits. Now they must decide if the risk of injury outweighs the chance of a hero.
Game One Looms With Uncertainty
The clock is ticking toward Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays. If Judge is left off, he cannot join the club until the ALCS, and only if someone else goes down. If he plays, he could force a lineup change that benches a productive hitter like Luis GarcÃa Jr. Boone said Friday that the team would make those calls probably later tonight.
Per Fox Sports, the timeline remains unknown as the Yankees creep towards their next series. The trainers have the final say on whether the star slugger is ready to swing a bat or run the bases.
