Yanks should put Judge on ALDS roster . . . but with some conditions
Yankees' Aaron Judge looks on during batting practice at Tropicana Field on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Aaron Judge should be on the Yankees’ roster for the Division Series.
But only under certain conditions, and this would seem the likeliest scenario: Judge is restricted to pinch-hitting duties for Games 1 and 2 at Tropicana Field, in order to minimize his exposure to the dome’s artificial turf, with the outside possibility of him trying to play his familiar rightfield spot when the series returns to the Bronx for Game 3.
Even that’s a stretch. Carrying a player with such limited mobility is a gamble for a short series, especially one at high risk of being re-injured again, but Giancarlo Stanton could be swapped out to make room. Given Judge’s recovery period from the right calf strain he suffered back on Sept. 16, that’s just short of three weeks, the minimum amount of time required for an athlete to return from the least severe grade.
If we’re to believe manager Aaron Boone, who described Judge’s strain as “moderate” a week ago, this injury is more serious. Of course, Judge took exception with Boone’s characterization, and no one else in the organization wants to step into the crosshairs of the Yankees’ captain, so pinning down his medical status remains elusive.
For more on Judge and the Yankees, check out David Lennon's full column.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
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