The desire is certainly there. Although Aaron Judge is making positive progress, he’s still not at 100% to join his New York Yankees teammates for Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox. What does No. 99 need to do to start in the 2026 MLB Playoffs? Run the bases.
“One notable thing he said is that he hasn’t run the bases yet. Asked if he’s done any running at all, he only mentioned doing so on the zero gravity machine,” The New York Post Sports‘ writer Gary Phillips revealed on X.
The outlook, however, appears more promising than initially expected for the Bronx Bombers. It will ultimately be a matter of seeing whether Aaron Boone will be able to use his biggest star during this crucial stretch of the postseason.
A last-minute setback for Judge
Aaron Judge was recently placed back on the 10-day injured list due to a right calf strain, which occurred just days after his return to the lineup in September. This setback came right on the heels of his most significant injury of the 2026 season—a right first-rib stress fracture suffered after diving for a shallow fly ball in late April.
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees.
Though he attempted to play through the discomfort for several weeks, the pain eventually forced him onto the IL in early June, causing him to miss 84 games before his brief, ill-fated comeback.
Yankees’ playoff schedule
As the No. 4 seed in the American League, the New York Yankees are hosting their archrivals, the No. 5 seed Boston Red Sox, in a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. The postseason rivalry kicks off with Game 1 on Tuesday, September 29, followed by Game 2 on Wednesday, September 30, and a potential Game 3 on Thursday, October 1.
If the Yankees advance past the Wild Card round, they will move on to the American League Division Series (ALDS) to face the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays, starting on Saturday, October 3.
Key takeaways
- Aaron Judge has not yet run the bases prior to Game 1.
- A right calf strain recently sent him back to the 10-day injured list.
- The New York Yankees kick off their Wild Card Series on September 29.
