Aaron Judge will sit out the New York Yankees' American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays due to a right calf strain that may threaten his viability all October.
Judge was not included on the team's ALDS roster, the club's network first reported, even as he vowed to "do all he can" to play against the Rays
after sitting out their two-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round.Judge suffered the injury Sept. 16 at Minnesota, just seven games after returning from a rib fracture. He played in just 66 games this season after winning consecutive AL MVP awards.
Now, he'll cool it a little longer as his teammates take aim at the Rays, who won the AL East in Judge's absence.
Before the Yankees finished off the Red Sox, Judge
got simulated at-bats in at their Class AAA facility in Somerset. After the team flew to Tampa for the ALDS, he worked out at their spring training facility there and also went through the off day workout at Tropicana Field. Manager Aaron Boone did not specify whether Judge had run the bases in his rehab progression, often one of the final steps to a return, but noted he had tested the calf in other fashions.
New York's sweep of Boston marked its first playoff games contested without Judge, 34, since 2015.
How to watch Yankees-Rays Game 1: Time, TV channel
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- TV channel: TBS
- Live stream: HBO Max, Sling
Watch MLB playoffs on Sling
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Three-time MVP Aaron Judge left OFF Yankees roster vs Rays with injury
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
