Aaron Judge wants to return. The Yankees want to get their captain back. However, after sweeping the Boston Red Sox without him, the decision to include him in the roster for the divisional series against Tampa Bay is much more complex than simply determining if he can hit again.
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Judge continues to advance in the recovery of the strain in the right calf that keeps him out since September 16. The captain worked again with batters and pitchers at the Double-A Somerset facility and has made it clear that he will make every effort to be available when ALDS starts.
But the Yankees need more to know if they can stand in the batting box. They also need to determine how much they can run, if they are ready to play defense, and whether to use a roster spot on a physically limited judge represents the best decision for a best-of-five series.
Judge continues to work to be ready against Tampa Bay
As his teammates played the Wild Card against Boston, Judge remained focused on his rehabilitation.
On Wednesday he traveled to Somerset to take live batting shifts as part of his progression. Later he returned to the Bronx and was with his teammates during the 9-2 victory that completed the sweep over the Red Sox.
After the celebration, Judge avoided ensuring that it will be available on Saturday. His message was much more prudent: he wants to play and is constantly working to achieve it, but there are still important steps left before receiving authorization.
The Yankees now have a few extra days to watch the calf evolution before delivering their ultimate roster for the divisional series.
Running is still one of the most important tests
The bat doesn't seem to be the biggest concern around Judge at present.
The captain has already done several batting sessions and has faced pitchers. The real challenge continues to show that it can run with enough intensity without endangering the right calf again.
Judge still needs to advance in grassroots work before the Yankees can consider him fully prepared to occupy the right field.
This detail acquires even greater importance because the first matches against Tampa Bay will be played at Tropicana Field. Artificial turf can be an additional requirement for a player who is recovering from a leg muscle injury.
Using a judge as a designated hitter creates another problem
There is an obvious alternative: Allow Judge to return only as a designated hitter.
The solution would reduce some of the defensive load, but it would also generate another dilemma for Aaron Boone.
Ben Rice has become a centerpiece of the New York offensive and regularly holds the position of designated hitter. Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt are also part of the combinations that allow Boone to organize the first base depending on the opposing pitcher.
If Judge can only hit, the Yankees would have to rearrange a lineup that just produced 18 runs and 26 hits in two games against Boston.
That doesn't mean New York is better without its captain. It means that your return should be accompanied by a clear idea on how to use it without weakening other areas of the roster.
The Yankees showed that they can produce without judge
The Wild Card series slightly changed the context of the decision.
Before facing Boston there were important doubts about how the offensive would respond without its main hitter. The Yankees quickly answered.
New York won 9-0 the first match and 9-2 the second. Ben Rice hit two home runs and produced six runs in Game 1, while Cody Bellinger drove in four in the game that closed the series.
George Lombard Jr., Luis García Jr., Spencer Jones, Austin Wells and other members of the Lineup also contributed.
The Yankees don't need to rush Judge only because the offense is unable to function without him. That collective production gives them a little more room to make a decision thinking about the player's health and the rest of October.
The risk of a relapse also weighs on the decision
Judge has already spent too much time out during 2026.
A stress fracture in a rib kept him away for more than three months. He returned in September, played only seven games and later suffered the stretching in the calf that ended up taking him out of action again.
Therefore, a relapse now could mean losing it for the rest of the postseason and even turning a manageable injury into a much more serious problem.
Judge's desire to help is evident, but the organization must separate that competitiveness from medical evaluation.
The captain wants to be on the ground. The Yankees need to make sure that their body is ready too.
The ALDS allows you to build a completely new roster
Boston removal also opens a new opportunity from the regulatory point of view.
The Yankees can present a different roster for the divisional series, so the absence of Judge in the Wild Card does not prevent him from being included against Tampa Bay.
That allows New York to assess its physical condition until practically the start of the new round.
If Judge shows that he can run, hit, and fulfill a sufficiently broad function, his return would be one of the most important moves in the series.
If there are still considerable limitations, the Yankees will have to decide if it is convenient to use one of the 26 places available in a player whose role could be reduced to certain offensive turns.
Judge wants to be, but the decision must go beyond desire
After the victory over Boston, Judge made it clear that his intention has not changed.
He wants to play on Saturday and is using every day available to try to get it.
The Yankees don't hide how much it would mean to get the captain back. Even in an injury-limited season, Judge hit 18 home runs and finished with .871 Ops in 66 games.
A batter of that level can completely modify the way Tampa Bay faces the lineup.
But the real dilemma is precisely there: New York must decide between recovering one of the best baseball hitters as soon as possible or protecting it until they are more confident that they can compete without exposing themselves to another injury.
Judge has a few more days to present his argument on the training ground.
The final decision will come before Saturday.