New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is not expected to play in the American League Wild Card series after suffering a right calf injury.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that the star outfielder suffered a moderate strain to his right calf and received an injection on Monday.
Boone said the team is preparing for the opening postseason round without their star hitter, though he stated that he is not ruling him out entirely.
Speaking to Larry Fleisher of The Associated Press, Boone explained that injury recovery timelines of two to four weeks or four to six weeks exist for a reason. He noted that while the club would push the timeframe if an opportunity arose, the postseason begins in just one week.
Boone added that although he does not expect Judge to be ready in time, the team maintains high expectations. He noted that the squad has played much of the regular season without Judge and has managed to perform effectively in his absence.
Team record and postseason matchup
New York holds the top Wild Card position in the American League and is scheduled to host the Boston Red Sox in the opening round of the postseason. The Yankees compiled a 48-40 record during games played without the three time American League Most Valuable Player in the lineup this year.
Judge has appeared in only seven games for New York since returning from a rib fracture. That previous injury kept the outfielder out of action for four months earlier in the campaign.
Boone stressed that while any team wants its best player available, the squad understands its job and expects to win. He stated that this expectation does not change with or without Judge, adding that the Yankees enter the series confident they can beat anyone when performing at their level.
Major League Baseball playoff context
Major League Baseball introduced the Wild Card system to allow top teams that do not win their division a pathway into October postseason play. Under the current postseason structure, the top Wild Card seed earns home field advantage for the opening round.
A postseason matchup between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox renews one of the most famous rivalries in professional sports. The two American League East rivals have met in several memorable October series, making any postseason clash between them a major event for baseball fans.
Judge is the centerpiece of the Yankees lineup and one of the most prominent hitters in the major leagues. Calf strains represent a delicate recovery for baseball players, as sprinting to first base or tracking down balls in the outfield puts significant stress on the lower leg muscles.
