Aaron Judge bristles at Boone’s Wild Card Series outlook: ‘I don’t know why he used those words’
NEW YORK — One day after New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he was not “planning” on having superstar right fielder Aaron Judge available for the start of the American League Wild Card Series, the Yankees’ captain expressed his displeasure with that insinuation.
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“My goal is to come back as soon as I can,” Judge said after the Yankees’ 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. “That’s what we’re doing right now. If he says I’m not going to be ready, I’ve got no control over that. I got control over what I can do to try to get back as soon as I can.
“If you ask me if I’m gonna be back, I’m gonna tell you, I’m doing everything I can every single day I show up here to get back and be ready to go.”
Judge, who received a platelet-poor plasma injection in his strained right calf Monday, said he’s been doing work behind the scenes in the training room and weight room to be ready for Game 1 on Tuesday.
He said that when he returns, he intends to play right field and not just be a designated hitter. He believes that gives the Yankees their best possible lineup, as it allows Ben Rice, who hit his 40th and 41st home runs of the season on Wednesday, to DH.
Boone said Tuesday that Judge sustained a “moderate”-grade calf strain, which normally takes several weeks to recover from. Judge took exception to his manager revealing his diagnosis.
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“Everybody’s ‘moderate’ is a little different,” Judge said. “I think your moderate is a little different than my moderate, and so on and so on.
“So I don’t know why he used those words, but I’m trying to come back as soon as I can.”
Judge added: “Boonie’s my guy. I’ve always got his back. I know he makes the right decisions. Obviously, as a player, you don’t want to hear that. But that’s out of my control. I’ve got a job to do. I’ve got to come back and be ready to go. That’s what I’m focused on right now.”
Judge previously said that his strain is in the soleus muscle of his calf, which is “a little more crucial with running and hitting and all those kinds of things.”
That makes a potential return next week seem like a stretch, especially because the injury isn’t considered minor. But the Yankees will likely continue to be vague about any timeline, as is normally the case with any injury involving Judge.
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