A massive blow for the Bronx
It is the kind of news that makes every Yankees fan want to throw their remote at the TV. The Captain is out. Just when we needed him most to lead the charge against Boston, Aaron Judge is stuck on the sidelines. It is heartbreaking, it is frustrating, and frankly, it feels like the universe is just trying to mess with us at the worst possible moment.
The details of the injury
According to amNewYork, the two-time American League MVP is officially off the roster for the upcoming best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, which kicks off Tuesday night in the Bronx. The trouble started on September 16 during a game against the Minnesota Twins when Judge suffered a moderate strain in his right calf. This happened only seven days after he had already returned from a three-month absence caused by a fractured rib.
Judge has been working overtime to prove he can play. On Monday, he was at the stadium taking live batting practice. He even told reporters that he was feeling “great” and had been “doing a lot of convincing” lately. To speed up his recovery, he even tried out PPP injections. Regarding that treatment, Judge noted, “I’ve done a lot of PRP, a lot of stuff, but this is the first time I’m doing this.”
Despite the effort, the numbers just don’t add up for a quick return. While a typical recovery for this type of strain takes three weeks, Judge was trying to beat that clock in just 13 days. During Monday’s practice, his performance was shaky; he walked twice and even struck out looking while facing Elmer Rodriguez and Ryan Weathers. Yankees manager Aaron Boone previously indicated the team was preparing for a postseason without him, though he did say, “He’s making progress.”
Why this hurts the Yankees
Look, we all want to believe in the magic of the postseason, but let’s be real. You don’t win championships in the Bronx without your best hitter. Judge isn’t just a player; he’s the heartbeat of this lineup. Watching him try to convince everyone he’s ready, saying, “I’m going to keep doing that”, is a tough pill to swallow when you see him struggling to run on a ballfield.
He even suggested a way to mitigate the risk, telling reporters that he would play right field instead of acting as the DH to save his leg. He stated, “I’m not ruling out anything until we get there,” but the team clearly decided the risk of a more serious injury wasn’t worth the gamble. It’s a tough call for Boone, but you can’t let your superstar blow out a muscle in the first inning of a Wild Card game.
The Yankees are now heading into a high-stakes series against their biggest rivals without their most important weapon.
