On Monday, the New York Yankees had the day off following a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The Yankees lost two out of three games in the series.
However, the bigger news was that three-time MVP Aaron Judge was placed on the injured list during the series.
MLB.com wrote (on September 20): “MRI taken Sept. 17 in Phoenix revealed strain to soleus muscle, sustained Sept. 16 in Minnesota. The team has not provided a timeline or severity. May receive a PRP injection in New York. Judge says “the plan” is to be active during the postseason.”
Michael Kay Makes Judge Statement Amid Injury
Following the news, Michael Kay spoke about Judge and the Yankees (via The Michael Kay Show).
Kay: “Aaron Judge has a calf injury and he went on the IL. The likelihood of him playing, I think, is not very good, especially in the first round wild card series. I don’t think he’s going to play. I wonder if he’s going to play in the ALDS if the Yankees beat the Red Sox. I guess there’s an outside chance that he could come back and play in the ALCS or in the World Series… Judge said that this particular part of the calf is tough on running and on swinging. Yeah, it’s kind of what he has to do. So I think the Yankees, if you’re a betting man, they’re going to have to make their run or try to make their run without their best player, which makes it really exponentially harder for them to get to the goal of winning a World Series… Without Aaron Judge, I wouldn’t say the Yankees are the favorite to get to the World Series, even in a bad American League. They’d have to rely on their pitching.”
Judge is in the middle of his 11th season.
He is batting .241 with 57 hits, 18 home runs, 41 RBIs, 45 runs and five stolen bases in 66 games.
Looking At The Yankees Right Now
The Yankees (89-66) will now open up a series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday afternoon in the Bronx.
After the Rays, they will finish the 2026 regular season when they host Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Michael Kay Makes Honest Aaron Judge Statement Amid Injury To Yankees Star