The New York Yankees don’t appear to be on the same page…
Just one day after manager Aaron Boone said he does not expect to have outfielder Aaron Judge available for the club’s impending playoff series, the three-time MVP said the opposite in a media session Wednesday — sharing that he intends to be ready for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
“That’s what the plan is,” Judge said, per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. “Try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go.”
Judge was placed on the injured list with a right calf strain Saturday, ending his regular season and putting his status in doubt for a presumed matchup with the Boston Red Sox starting next Tuesday.
Judge specified that the strain is in the soleus muscle, which he noted is essential for running, hitting, and fielding. New York will now be in control of clearing him to resume activity that involves the leg after he received a platelet-poor plasma injection on Monday.
It’s quite clear that there was miscommunication between player and coach, which led to contradicting statements on back-to-back days.
“We’re planning on him not being a part of (the wild-card series),” Boone said on Tuesday.
Judge said he has had discussions with decision-makers in the organization about his prognosis, which have not been made public, but doesn’t intend on making any prognostications as he tries to get back healthy.
“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… I don’t make the roster. I’ve got no idea.”
Judge suffered the injury on Sept. 16, his seventh game back after missing more than three months with a fractured rib, and initially hoped it would be minor but it has already become clear that he will be out until at least Sept. 28.
Judge went 4-for-23 with 13 strikeouts and one home run after returning from his fractured rib without a rehab assignment. The Yankees went 41-25 and averaged 5.12 runs with Judge in the lineup during the regular season, and are 49-42 and averaging 4.15 runs without him entering Wednesday.