Aaron Judge Eyes October Return as Yankees Chase Postseason Spot

After three months of grinding through a right‑rib stress fracture, Aaron Judge finally stepped back onto the field, only to be knocked down again by a right‑calf strain that landed him on the 10‑day injured list Saturday.

When reporters asked him if he expected to be back for the postseason – just ten days away from Game 1 of the American League wild‑card – Judge smiled, shrugged, and said, “I’d like to be back by the postseason. That’s definitely the plan.”

It’s a hopeful line, but the clock is ticking. A calf strain, especially in the soleus muscle where Judge was hurt, typically needs at least a couple of weeks to heal. The Yankees aren’t giving away the exact grade of the injury, so fans are left guessing how quickly he could return.

“It doesn’t matter what grade it is,” manager Aaron Boone said after the 5‑3 loss to Arizona on Saturday. “We have nine games left. We’re going to get him back or we’re not. That’s what we’re going to work to do and we’ll see.”

Judge explained that the soleus is more critical for the quick bursts needed when running the bases and generating power at the plate, making his situation a bit more tricky than a typical gastrocnemius strain.

“Definitely frustrated,” the three‑time AL MVP admitted. “I’ve dealt with strains before and kind of played through them, but this spot is different. I was hoping to slip in a few games before October, so it changes things a little, but the focus stays the same – be ready for October.”

He added that he’ll keep throwing and doing whatever light work the club allows, hoping to hop back in as soon as he’s cleared. The IL stint is retroactive to Thursday, meaning the earliest he could be activated is for the season’s final game, Game 162, though that still feels like a stretch.

Judge missed 84 games earlier this season with the rib injury, returned without a rehab assignment, then lasted only seven games before the calf issue resurfaced against Minnesota. He chose to stay in that game, even after feeling the strain in the first inning, saying, “If this had happened in a rehab game I’d have been a lot angrier. So it is what it is.”

Boone, for his part, would rather discuss anything other than Judge’s health, staying non‑committal about the slugger’s postseason fate. The Yankees, meanwhile, keep their eyes on the division race with the Rays and the looming wild‑card spot, hoping Judge can make it back in time to help push the team into October’s biggest stage.