The New York Yankees’ October plans have been thrown into uncertainty. For three months, the Yankees counted on Aaron Judge’s return to keep their offense afloat in the playoffs. But those plans went up in smoke the moment the Yankees captain limped out of the game on Wednesday. As Judge heads back to the injured list, an MLB insider has given the Yankees a reality check about October.
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“This throws everything into flux for the New York Yankees. They’ve been banking on Aaron Judge’s return for months now… And to see him not just limping out of the game, but needing to go on an injured list here, it’s devastating,” said Jeff Passan on Sportscenter. “Frankly, because they wonder now what, if anything, are they going to get from Aaron Judge in October? The rest of the regular season, for all intents and purposes, is done.”
Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees after missing 84 games since May 31 with a stress fracture in the first rib on his right side. He skipped a Minor League rehab assignment and instead returned after taking live batting practice. After being able to play in just seven games, that decision is surely becoming a part of the conversation. However, there is no evidence that skipping a rehab assignment caused the calf strain.
During the Yankees’ 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins, tightness in his right lower leg forced Judge to exit the game in the sixth inning. Judge later revealed that he first felt discomfort in the first inning and tried to play it off initially. However, it persisted, and he told skipper Aaron Boone about the issue. Not wanting to take any further risks, Boone pulled Judge and sent Heliot Ramos as a pinch-hitter. The Yankees captain was also caught grimacing on camera before he left the game.
“Once you start ramping up, things pop up,” Judge had told the reporters. “Hopefully, it’s just one little thing, and we’re back out there soon.”
With Thursday off, the Yankees planned to give him extensive treatment before delivering a verdict. Apparently, things were more serious than the Yankees’ expectations, as the team announced that Judge will return to the 10-day IL with a right calf strain. The Yankees said that they will make the roster move on Saturday; Judge’s IL placement will likely be backdated to Thursday. In that case, Judge would be eligible to return on September 27, the final day of the regular season, giving him a chance to be active for the postseason. If not, as Passan pointed out, “the Yankees are going to have a serious decision to make before setting their playoff roster.”
However, it all depends on how well Judge recovers. Manager Aaron Boone seemed unable to give reassurances this time.
“I don’t know,” Boone said, per ESPN. “I don’t have a timeline on him. He’s on the IL now. I’m not going to predict anything. He’s getting treated, and we’ll see what transpires.”
On paper, the Yankees have held on well enough to clinch the postseason spot without Judge in the lineup. However, the offense has stumbled greatly without the captain. As a team, the Yankees batted .227 with an OPS of .681, ranking towards the bottom of the league.
Aaron Judge’s return did not magically fix all the issues the lineup had. Since his return, Judge has gone 4-for-23, with a homer and 3 RBI, while batting just .174 across his last 7 games. It’s nowhere near his MVP-level performance from 2025, but his presence alone gives the Yankees lineup a boost they desperately need.
Moreover, with Judge out, the Yankees’ hopes of clinching the AL East title are also slim. They are five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, the AL East leaders. As the Yankees begin a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, fans will keep a keen eye on how the lineup performs after receiving the latest blow.