Aaron Judge Injury Update, Latest Timeline on Yankees Star's Return Ahead of 2026 MLB Playoffs

The New York Yankees are preparing to potentially begin the postseason without Aaron Judge.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday Judge has suffered a "moderate grade" right calf strain, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

About the Yankees' upcoming Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox, Boone said, per Hoch: "We're planning on him not being a part of that."

Boone added the Yankees have not yet ruled Judge out, per YES Network's Meredith Marakovits.

The Yankees are preparing to begin the AL Wild Card round next Tuesday, Sept. 29. Should the series go to three games, it would wrap up Thursday, Oct. 1.

Judge was previously sidelined from May 31 to Sept. 8 with a right rib stress fracture that sidelined him for 84 games.

He batted .174 through seven games back in the lineup before exiting last Wednesday's matchup against the Minnesota Twins early due to tightness in his lower right leg.

Judge told reporters he started feeling the sensation out in the field during the first inning against the Twins but tried to play through it until leaving in the sixth frame.

"I feel like you deal with this every spring training, usually at the start of the season, once you start ramping up again," Judge said Wednesday.

The Yankees then announced Saturday Judge was being placed on the 10-day IL with a calf strain.

Judge said after the announcement it was "definitely the plan" to be back by the postseason, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post.

He also said he has regularly dealt with calf strains throughout his career, but that this strain was more impactful because it has impacted a muscle connected to running and hitting, per The Athletic's Brendan Kuty.

The Yankees have stayed in the postseason race without Judge in part thanks to resurgent play from Ben Rice, who is batting .339 since the start of September, and Cody Bellinger, who has recorded a .333 batting average over the same span.

Offense from Rice and Bellinger combined with strong pitching from a rotation anchored by Cam Schlittler, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón could boost the Yankees' hopes of making it to the ALDS without a healthy Judge.