NEW YORK – It has been four days since Aaron Judge said it was “definitely the plan” to return in time for the postseason. While the Yankees are planning as though he won’t be available, the captain’s mindset has not shifted.
Judge told ESPN on Wednesday that he intends to be ready for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, which is scheduled for Sept. 29 at Yankee Stadium.
“That’s what the plan is,” Judge told ESPN. “Try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go.”
Asked about Judge’s status before Wednesday’s game, manager Aaron Boone said that “the process has started and is ongoing.”
“I don’t know [how] the next day or two unfolds,” Boone said. “We’ll hopefully get healed as quickly as possible and be an option as soon as possible.”
On Tuesday, Boone said Judge has a “moderate grade” right calf strain that would likely keep him out for the Wild Card Series.
“We’re planning on him not being a part of that,” Boone said on Tuesday. “But we’re also at a time of the year where … obviously we’d push it a little bit if that was in play. But that’s a week away. I’m not expecting it, but I’m not ruling it out, either.”
Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Sept. 17.
He received a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) injection in his right calf during Monday’s off-day and will have limited activities for the next several days.
Judge told ESPN he has spoken with organizational decision-makers about his prognosis.
“We’ve done a lot of talks, but I can’t control what people say,” Judge said. “So you’ll have to talk to them about that.”
During the club’s weekend series in Phoenix, Judge and Boone were vague about the severity of the injury, which Judge sustained during the club’s series last week against the Twins.
Judge revealed the strain is in the soleus muscle of his right calf, which he said “is a little more crucial with running and hitting.”
“I’ve dealt with strains before and kind of played through them, but this was kind of in a different spot where it made it a little bit more difficult,” Judge said.
Generally, a Grade 2 calf strain takes at least three weeks for recovery.
“If he’s able to play, then we’ll give him that opportunity,” Boone said.
Judge missed most of the summer with a fractured right rib, believed to have been sustained on April 26 in Houston. He played with the injury before landing on the injured list in early June.
Activated in September without a Minor League rehab assignment, Judge played just seven games after his reinstatement, going 4-for-23 (.174) with a homer.
Overall, Judge batted .241/.360/.511 with 18 homers and 41 RBIs in 66 games this season.
“We’ve got games to win,” Judge said. “I’m getting paid to play games for the New York Yankees, so I’ll get back as soon as I can.”