{
  "id": 9477030,
  "title": "Aaron Judge clarifies goal is to return for Wild Card series, but Yankees have final say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/aaron-judge-clarifies-goal-is-to-return-for-wild-card-series-but",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T03:22:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/yankees-aaron-judge-intends-available-232201626.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Aaron Judge, a star player for the Yankees, is determined to return for the Wild Card series, aiming to be available for the team's upcoming match next Tuesday. In an interview with ESPN's Jorge Castillo, Judge expressed his desire to get his body ready for the postseason. However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone had previously indicated that they were not expecting Judge to play in the Wild Card round. Boone reiterated this stance after the team's 9-2 victory over Tampa, stating that they would wait until the appropriate time to make a decision about Judge's availability. Judge acknowledged that it was not up to him, but focused on doing everything he could to recover as soon as possible. The Yankees had placed Judge on the injured list due to a right calf strain, which ended his regular season. Despite this setback, Judge remains optimistic and has been working hard in the training and weight rooms. If he is on the roster for the Wild Card round, his presence could impact the Yankees' lineup, particularly at the DH spot currently occupied by Ben Rice. Judge acknowledged this possibility and expressed his willingness to play wherever the team needed him, emphasizing that playing the outfield would be best for the team. With the pitching of the Yankees' roster carrying the team well, Judge believes they have a good chance against any team in the postseason, which is why he is so focused on returning.",
  "summary": "After Yankees slugger Aaron Judge made his intentions to return for the Wild Card series known, he elaborated on his comments and how he's tackling his recovery.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/9477030.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton could return for the playoffs after a 5 1/2-month absence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/yankees-slugger-giancarlo-stanton-could-return-for-the-playoffs-after",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:30:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton could return for the playoffs after a 5 1/2-month absence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/yankees-slugger-giancarlo-stanton-could-return-for-the-playoffs-after-9444204",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:57:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}