Aaron Judge Aims for Wild-Card Series Return Despite Manager's Doubts

Yankees captain Aaron Judge is holding out hope for a return to the lineup for Game 1 of the American League wild-card series, even as manager Aaron Boone has expressed reservations about his availability. Judge told ESPN on Wednesday that his objective is to be ready for the series opener, scheduled for Tuesday night.

"That’s what the plan is," Judge said. "Try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go."

This statement comes after Boone indicated on Tuesday that he was "not expecting" the star player to be back in time for the first round. However, Boone also acknowledged that he was not ruling out the possibility entirely.

Judge was placed on the injured list on Saturday with a calf strain, just eight days after his return from a rib fracture that had sidelined him for over three months. This is the second stint on the IL for Judge this season.

His remarks about a potential playoff return echo sentiments he shared with reporters on the day he re-entered the injured list. "I’d like to be back by the postseason," Judge said on Saturday. "That’s definitely the plan."

The injuries have significantly limited Judge's playing time this season, restricting him to 66 games. During these games, the Yankees have posted a 41-25 record. In the 49-42 record the team has compiled without him, the impact of his absence is evident.

Should Judge not be medically cleared for the wild-card round, outfield duties are expected to be primarily covered by Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones, and Heliot Ramos.