Aaron Judge Pushes for Postseason Return Despite Calf Strain

Aaron Judge is actively lobbying the New York Yankees to clear him for the American League wild-card series, less than two weeks after sustaining a moderate calf strain. Judge is scheduled to take live batting practice on Monday as he attempts to persuade team management to include him on the roster for the upcoming series against the Red Sox.

"I've been doing a lot of convincing, so I'm going to keep doing that," Judge stated, expressing his eagerness to play. "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."

While Judge has not yet run the bases, a critical step for recovery from soft-tissue leg injuries, he has been utilizing an anti-gravity treadmill and indicated the possibility of running on the field later Monday. The Yankees will need to assess the risk of activating him so soon, considering the potential for reinjury, particularly with the strain located in the soleus muscle, which is connected to the Achilles tendon.

Judge acknowledged the inherent risks in professional sports. "Guys take risks every single day," he said. "I know a lot of guys in here are banged up and dealing with stuff. I understand the risk, I've got it all."

He has resumed hitting indoors and reported feeling good, noting that hitting requires significant weight on the back leg. "It feels great, which is definitely a big step forward, because you produce a lot of weight on that back leg, so feeling good there," Judge commented.

Judge also expressed his preference to return as a right fielder, which he believes would best serve the team given the depth at designated hitter and first base. However, his ability to play the outfield for a full nine innings without issue remains a question. This also raises the potential dilemma of rostering both Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who is also returning from multiple calf strains and is expected to be available primarily as a pinch hitter.

Having previously missed over three months with a right rib stress fracture, Judge is committed to doing everything possible to be ready for Tuesday's game. "I think the biggest thing is understanding how short – the time to be a Yankee and play this game of baseball is a very short window," Judge reflected. "Ten years have gone by since I debuted out here, so time flies. I just think about that more than thinking about age. I feel like I'll still be a good baseball player at 45.

"It's more just your window to play this game is short, so you don't want to miss an opportunity."