Yankees Wait on Aaron Judge Before ALDS

Waiting on Judge

The New York Yankees are still deciding if Aaron Judge will make their roster for the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Manager Aaron Boone shared the update on Friday, noting the team has until Saturday morning to submit the squad for Game 1.

Judge has been out since September 16 with a right calf strain. The team left him off the roster for the wild card series, where they swept the Boston Red Sox by outscoring them 18-2 at Yankee Stadium.

Testing the Injury

Judge faced live pitching at Yankee Stadium on Thursday and completed a workout at the minor league complex in Tampa on Friday before joining the team at Tropicana Field. It marked the third time this week he hit against live pitching.

Boone mentioned that running the bases is not a strict requirement for selection. The artificial turf at Tropicana Field also plays a small role in the team evaluation, given his size and recent injury.

Possible Roles

If Judge returns, the team might limit him early in the series. While his goal is to play right field, he could also feature as a pinch hitter off the bench before playing in the field when the series shifts to New York for Game 3.