Aaron Judge exited the New York Yankees’ 5-4 loss in 13 innings against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday due to what the team called right lower leg tightness. The three-time MVP finished 0 for 2 with two strikeouts before Heliot Ramos took his place as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning.
Manager Aaron Boone said Judge noticed something after the first inning, and the Yankees were hoping they had caught the problem early. Judge will receive treatment before the team decides whether the issue will force him to miss any games.
Aaron Judge’s injury leaves the Yankees waiting
Boone said the Yankees would treat Judge’s leg and evaluate his condition again after further treatment. He also emphasized how important it is to get the star back in the lineup at some point, describing him as a crucial piece for the team.
Judge had only recently returned after sitting out June, July, and August with a fractured top right rib. He came back on Sept. 8 without a minor-league rehab stint and hit his first home run since returning Monday night, launching the ball into the upper deck down the left-field line.
Judge then had a scheduled rest day Tuesday before leaving Wednesday’s game early. When reporters asked whether he might undergo tests on his leg, Judge said he did not know and suggested that probably would not happen.
Over 66 games this season, Judge is batting .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs. He has won the last two American League MVP awards and three of the past four.
The Yankees face a tight AL East race
Wednesday’s loss dropped the Yankees to 88-64, four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, pending Tampa’s game that night. New York has already secured a postseason spot and is guaranteed to finish no lower than the second wild-card position.
The Yankees and Rays are set to meet in a four-game series next week, including a doubleheader on Sept. 22. Tampa currently leads the season series 6-4, meaning one win in those four meetings would clinch the tiebreaker for the Rays.
If Tampa goes 6-6 over its final 12 games, the Yankees would need to go 9-1 in their last 10 while sweeping the four games against the Rays and winning the tiebreaker to take the AL East. Without the tiebreaker, New York would need to finish 10-0.
If the Yankees do not win the division, they are likely to host the No. 5 seed, currently the Boston Red Sox, at Yankee Stadium in the Wild Card Series.
Yankees playoff hopes depend on Judge’s return
New York is already contending with another outfield injury. Center fielder Trent Grisham has a hamstring strain and may not return during the regular season, while his availability for the postseason remains uncertain.
If Judge has to miss time, Ramos would step into an everyday right-field role. He joined the Yankees at the trade deadline and played the outfield every day until Judge returned, after which he moved into a platoon role.
Judge’s absence could also affect a potential Wild Card Series against Boston, whose pitching staff is heavily left-handed. His right-handed presence would therefore be missed if he were unavailable.
The Yankees have gone 41-25 with Judge in the lineup and 47-39 without him. Boone stressed the need to get the injury treated, while Judge’s status remains unclear as New York prepares for the final stretch of the regular season.