Aaron Judge makes bold Yankees playoff proclamation as he tries to convince brass hes ready
Aaron Judge is putting his calf where his mouth is.After reiterating his intention to make himself available for the AL wild-card series, less than two weeks after suffering a moderate calf strain, Judge is scheduled to take live batting practice Monday at Yankee Stadium as he tries to convince Yankees brass to include him on the roster on the eve of their showdown with the Red Sox.“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said with a grin at his locker before the live session.“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.We’re all going to be smart, but I think they all know I want to be out there, especially in the first game.” Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
The three-time MVP said he has still not run the bases, which is always a key hurdle for players to clear coming back from soft-tissue leg injuries, but indicated he has been running on an anti-gravity treadmill and left open the possibility that he could try running on the field later Monday.While Judge’s live batting practice session should give the Yankees some important information as to how he looks and feels, they will have to weigh whether it is worth the risk of playing him this soon and leaving himself open to reinjury or suffering something worse.The soleus muscle, which is the part of the calf where Judge’s strain is located, is connected to the Achilles tendon.“Guys take risks every single day,” Judge 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.”Aaron Boone indicated that Judge resumed hitting indoors on Sunday, though the captain later said he has been hitting “for a while...