Yankees give Aaron Judge injury update ahead of ALDS

The New York Yankees are preparing to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series (ALDS), but the main concern revolves around whether star player Aaron Judge will be fit for the series. Judge experienced a calf strain during the latter part of September, which caused him to miss the final games of the regular season and the Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox.

Despite his desire to play, the Yankees held him out pending clearance from medical professionals. If Judge is unable to participate, he cannot be added to the roster for the remaining part of the series, which is expected to continue for a week. Should he be permitted to play, it is likely he will not be fully recovered, potentially complicating lineup decisions for the Yankees.

Following the announcement of the ALDS, Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the media, expressing that Judge is continuing his rehabilitation from the calf strain and has begun running once again since the injury. Boone remained uncertain about Judge's readiness to play, noting only that he has started running. The Yankees' spring training facility, located in Tampa, Florida, provides Judge with the advantage of working out at the team's base.

While Judge seems to be making progress, Boone's statements are ambiguous and do not definitively confirm whether Judge will be part of the roster. The Yankees have not yet finalized their lineup for the ALDS, as they will convene on Friday night to make decisions regarding the 26-man roster. The team will then unveil the complete roster on Saturday prior to the first pitch at Tropicana Field.