Yankees Star Aaron Judge Placed on Injured List with Calf Strain
The outfielder's return to the lineup is uncertain as the Yankees push for the postseason.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is headed back to the injured list due to a right calf strain, the team announced Friday. The move is expected to sideline the three-time American League MVP for most, if not all, of the remaining regular season.
The Yankees plan to place Judge on the 10-day injured list, and the designation can be backdated to Thursday. This would make him eligible to return for the Yankees’ regular-season finale on September 27, though his availability remains uncertain.
Judge has appeared in only 66 games this season, a significant drop from playing over 150 games in each of the previous two seasons, during which he won consecutive AL MVP awards. He recently returned to the lineup last week after missing more than three months with a broken rib.
He played in Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins but was removed in the sixth inning due to leg discomfort. At the time, Judge stated the decision was precautionary.
Since his return from the rib injury, Judge has played in seven games and recorded one extra-base hit. The Yankees, who have already clinched a postseason berth, are currently five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings. The team began a road trip Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.