Indeed, Aaron Judge was “making progress” as the New York Yankees prepared for the AL Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox in the 2026 MLB postseason. However, Judge had yet to clear one obstacle to be activated for Game 1: base running. With hours to go before the Bronx Bombers confirm their roster for the playoffs, Judge has yet to run the bases, and he missed a great—and last— chance to check that item off his to-do list.
Judge is serious about how healthy he feels and believes he has recovered enough from his calf strain to be a factor for New York against Boston. However, he hasn’t shown the team he can turn corners and run efficiently.
Facing Elmer Rodriguez in a live batting practice at Yankee Stadium late Monday afternoon, Judge didn’t run, and that might be all she wrote for his shot at a return in the AL Wild Card against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium (Sept. 29-Oct. 1).
“Aaron Judge’s live batting practice appears to be done. Two walks, a strikeout looking, and a grounder back to the mound. He did not run the bases or on the field,” Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported on X.
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in Phoenix, Arizona.
Judge could miss AL Wild Card
Of course, that was the original plan for Boone and the Yankees. When he suffered the calf strain that landed him on the 10-day IL, New York expected Judge to miss the opening round of the MLB postseason, even if it didn’t set that in stone.
However, Judge has worked his way back and progressed well enough to at least make it a conversation with hours to go before the postseason roster deadline. Based on the fact that Judge didn’t run the bases during his final live BP before Game 1 (Sept. 29), it might confirm that Judge has accepted he isn’t quite there yet to make his return.
Judge might have accepted it’s best to wait
Instead of forcing something by rushing his way back or trying to overcompensate by running when he isn’t ready to do so, it appears Judge will wait. He’s trusting his team to defeat the Red Sox and advance to the ALDS, where the Tampa Bay Rays await.
Of course, the Yankees may name Judge to their roster regardless. However, it would be an eyebrow-raising decision. Judge would be thrown into the fire, and he hasn’t played since Sept. 16. Even when he did play, he did so mostly on an inning count.
If Judge isn’t on the Yankees’ roster for the AL Wild Card, he can’t play in that round but could be added to the squad for the next round of the postseason. Of course, the Bronx Bombers would have to reach that stage and will need two wins over the Red Sox to do so.
Key takeaways
- Aaron Judge did not run the bases during live batting practice at Yankee Stadium.
- The outfielder had been expected to miss the opening round of the MLB postseason.
- A potential return could occur in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays.
