On Tuesday, the New York Yankees played two games against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Bronx.
After winning by a score of 2-0 in the first game, they lost the second 6-1.
With the loss, the Rays clinched the American League East title.
That said, the Yankees are still headed to the 2026 MLB playoffs.
MLB Insider Makes Aaron Judge Statement
The Yankees continue to play without Aaron Judge who was placed back on the injured list.
MLB.com wrote (on September 22): “MRI taken Sept. 17 in Phoenix revealed strain to soleus muscle, sustained Sept. 16 in Minnesota. Received a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) injection Sept. 21. Has a “moderate grade” strain and is not expected to be active for an AL Wild Card Series, manager Aaron Boone confirmed Sept. 22.”
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Buster Olney was asked about Judge in an interview with ESPN New York.
Host: “We know he’s not going to play in the three-game potential playoff against the Red Sox. Do we see him at all in this postseason?”
Olney: “It’s possible… But the question, of course, for the Yankees is: what kind of fit is he when he does come back, and how do you squeeze him in? Because you would be robbing Peter to pay Paul in order to get him back in the lineup. There’s just not a great way to do it unless he’s playing right field, and I can’t imagine that’ll necessarily be an option. As great as Aaron Judge has been, we saw during his version of spring training in September where he had 13 strikeouts in 23 at-bats—clearly his timing was off, and now he sits down again. If you bring him back in October, are you going to put him in the lineup and make him a target for the opposing manager, for the opposing team, given the fact that he hasn’t played any live games? At this point, it would seem to be a long shot that he’s going to be a factor.”
Looking At Judge And The Yankees
Judge is in the middle of his 11th season at the MLB level (all with the Yankees).
He is batting .241 with 57 hits, 18 home runs, 41 RBIs, 45 runs and five stolen bases in 66 games this year.
The Yankees are the second-place team in the American League East with a 90-67 record in 157 games.
MLB Insider Makes Aaron Judge Statement Amid Injury To Yankees Star