New York Yankees star Aaron Judge is making a late push to be included on the team’s roster for the American League wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox, despite still recovering from a strained soleus muscle in his right calf. The series opener is scheduled for Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, less than two weeks after Judge sustained the injury.
Judge, a three-time AL Most Valuable Player and team captain, participated in live batting practice Monday—his first on-field activity since the injury—but has yet to run bases or fully test his calf in game-like conditions. He has been using an anti-gravity treadmill to maintain conditioning during his rehabilitation. Speaking before Monday’s batting session, Judge acknowledged the risks involved but emphasized his desire to contribute in the postseason.
“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said. “But I think the most important thing is making sure I’m healthy and ready to go for this long stretch. We got another month of baseball to play, so I want to be ready for the long run we’re going to go on for this next month.”
Though Judge expressed confidence and eagerness to play—particularly in right field—questions remain about his physical readiness. The soleus muscle injury is located near the Achilles tendon, an area considered delicate and prone to complications. Medical staff and team management face a challenging decision between activating their star player and preserving his health for the remainder of the season and beyond.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone stressed that final roster decisions will be informed by medical evaluations. “I’ll continue to listen to trainers and medical [staff],” Boone said. Judge has resumed hitting indoors and reported feeling “great,” but has yet to demonstrate the ability to perform defensively or endure multiple at-bats under game conditions.
The Yankees also face practical considerations regarding roster construction. Even if Judge returns as a designated hitter, he would be competing for playing time with a group of established hitters, including Ben Rice, Luis García Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton, who himself is coming off a lengthy recovery from multiple calf injuries and is seen as more likely to be ready. Whether the Yankees can accommodate both Judge and Stanton on the postseason roster remains uncertain.
Judge has missed more than three months of the regular season due to a right rib stress fracture and returned in early September. In a limited sample since his comeback, he batted .174 with one home run and 13 strikeouts before the recent calf injury sidelined him again.
Despite the challenges, Judge remains focused on the postseason goals. “This is what it’s all about,” he said. “This is why you do all the work in the offseason, the work during the season, to get an opportunity like this… We’re going up against a tough opponent who we faced all year long and had our battles back and forth. I’d give anything to be out there and battle with the guys.”
The Yankees are entering the playoffs with a strong pitching staff led by Cy Young contender Cam Schlittler, slated to start Game 1, followed by Max Fried and Gerrit Cole. Meanwhile, Boston’s lineup has struggled recently, scoring just 13 runs over their last eight games and dealing with their own injury concerns, including Red Sox star Willson Contreras.
With the wild-card series roster due Tuesday morning, the Yankees’ leadership and medical team face a critical decision balancing short-term competitiveness with the long-term health of their franchise cornerstone.