The New York Yankees are not planning on Aaron Judge being available for the AL Wild Card Series, according to manager Aaron Boone, though he does not rule out the possibility. Boone says he is “not expecting” Judge to return, while adding, “but [he is] not ruling it out either.”
The reports explain that Judge’s availability is tied to ongoing recovery efforts as the wild-card series approaches. The New York Post notes Judge receives a platelet-poor plasma injection on Monday as part of his treatment. The Athletic similarly frames Boone’s comments as indicating the Yankees are preparing for the playoffs without assuming Judge will play.
Across outlets, the main difference is emphasis: one outlet describes it as a major blow and highlights the lack of expectation for his return, while the other focuses on Boone’s cautious language that keeps the door open. Both accounts agree that the Yankees’ immediate planning does not include certainty that Judge will be healthy enough to play.
