Aaron Judge Placed on Injured List With Calf Strain
Yankees star's return to the lineup is short-lived as another injury sidelines him with only nine games remaining in the regular season.
Aaron Judge has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right calf strain, marking another setback for the New York Yankees as the regular season nears its end. This injury comes just seven games after Judge's return from a three-month absence caused by a stress fracture in his right rib.
With only nine games left in the regular season following Friday, the earliest Judge could be activated is for the final game, Game 162. This timeline creates significant concern for the Yankees as they head into the critical final stretch of the season without their star player.
Judge left Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins early. He described the issue as similar to what he might experience in spring training while building up his workload, but this occurrence is during September with the American League wild-card series looming in less than two weeks.
Before this latest injury, Judge was working to regain his timing at the plate after his extended layoff. He had batted .174 with a .513 OPS and one home run in 23 at-bats since his return.
The Yankees still have a mathematical chance to win their division, but they trailed the Tampa Bay Rays by five games with 10 games remaining entering Friday. The team would need significant help from other teams to overtake the Rays.