Aaron Judge continues to work to return to the Yankees, but the organization has already made an important decision: the captain will not be available during the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
That doesn't necessarily mean that your season is over.
If New York manages to advance to the American League Championship Series, Judge will be able to be reassessed for a new roster. The problem is that, by that time, the Yankees will need to have enough evidence that their right calf can respond to the demands of a real match.
An unusual possibility appears there: use some Arizona Fall League matches as a kind of competitive test before considering its return.
Judge needs more than batting practices
Over the past few weeks, Judge has conducted live batting sessions and has progressively increased the intensity of her rehabilitation.
The main hurdle has not just been to hit.
The concern is in running, stopping, changing direction, leaving the batting box and defending the right field without increasing the risk of a relapse.
Aaron Boone explained that the Yankees even considered including the captain on the ALDS roster as a limited option from the bench, hoping he could take on a bigger role when the series returned to the Bronx.
Finally, the team considered that he still needed more recovery time and decided to leave him out of the entire round against Tampa Bay. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}
The Arizona Fall League appears as an alternative
One of the difficulties of a rehabilitation during October is simple: there is no longer a regular minor league season where a player can make a traditional rehabilitation assignment.
Judge can take live batting turns and perform exercises on the ground, but those jobs don't fully reproduce the intensity of a match.
The Arizona Fall League does offer official games during these weeks and its calendar began on October 3.
For that reason, the possibility has been raised that Judge can play some games there to test his physical condition in real situations before a possible series of championships. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="2"}
It would not be an automatic movement
It is important to make a difference: the Yankees have not officially announced that they will send Judge to the Arizona Fall League.
In addition, the competition is mainly designed for prospects and developing players, so the participation of a veteran star would need special authorization from Major League Baseball.
However, there is a history of established players who have received similar permits to use fall competitions as part of a recovery.
That turns the idea into a possible alternative, not a confirmed decision.
The most important test would be to run in real conditions
The value of those matches would not only be in the turns at bat.
Judge needs to show that he can run the bases, speed up, brake and respond to unpredictable movements without feeling discomfort in the right soleus.
Such actions are difficult to fully reproduce during a controlled session.
In a real match, a double, a first move closed in the First Division, a hit that forces us to change direction or a defensive situation that requires an explosive movement.
It is precisely that kind of physical response that the Yankees will need to evaluate before deciding whether Judge can be part of another round.
Boone preferred to protect a future possibility
The decision to leave Judge out of ALDS was also related to what could happen afterwards.
Boone explained that using the captain too soon could reduce his chances of actually getting ready to a eventual championship series.
Judge wants to play and has done his best to speed up the process, but the organization decided not to use a roster spot on a player who was not yet ready to offer a full feature.
Tropicana Field's artificial turf also raised concern, although Boone noted that it was not the only element that determined the decision. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="3"}
The Yankees have to beat Tampa Bay first
Any conversation about Judge and the ALCS depends on a much more important condition: the Yankees have to eliminate the Rays first.
New York started the divisional series without its captain and will have to get three victories against the team that finished with the best record in the American League.
That means Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones and the rest of the offensive will have to continue producing as they did during the Wild Card round against Boston.
The Yankees have already shown that they can win without Judge, but a divisional series for the best of five represents a different challenge.
Judge would have a new opportunity if Yankees advances
Postseason rosters are reset at the start of each round.
Therefore, being left out against Tampa Bay does not prevent Judge from being activated later.
If the Yankees advance to the ALCS, the organization will be able to introduce a new group of 26 players and reassess the captain.
The extra time is precisely what New York is looking for.
Every day without a match allows you to strengthen the calf, increase the race load and approach the conditions necessary to compete.
An unconventional solution for an unusual situation
Temporarily sending a judge level to Arizona Fall League games would be an unusual measure.
But October forces us to find different alternatives.
The Yankees do not want to activate their captain only because he can take turns at bat. They need enough confidence to know that they can run, defend and respond during a postseason game without significantly increasing the risk of another injury.
A few competitive games could offer information that a normal practice cannot provide.
For now, however, everything remains in the realm of possibilities.
Judge will continue to rehabilitate himself as his teammates face Tampa Bay.
And if the Yankees manage to advance, then a new decision will come: to determine if the captain is finally ready to return when the season enters his most important stage.