Why Rushing Aaron Judge Back Isn't Worth It for the Yankees

Despite landing on the injured list, Aaron Judge is still eager to contribute to the Yankees in the postseason.

Judge, who chose to forgo a rehab assignment in favor of rejoining the team earlier in the month, told the media that he wanted to recover from his right calf strain by the start of postseason play. The American League Wild Card Series, which the Yankees would play in if the season ended today, is slated to begin on Sept. 29, just 10 days from now.

On Saturday, Judge offered a simple "we'll see" when asked if he'd be back in time for the playoff action (h/t Brendan Kuty).

Aaron Judge says he doesn’t have a timeline and he hopes to be back before the postseason.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Says he strained the Soleus muscle in his calf. Didn’t know grade of strain. Will keep working out.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) September 19, 2026

So if Judge were to return before then, his stay on the injured list would effectively last a minimum of 10 days. Unfortunately, it's highly unlikely that he fully recovers by then—and from a team perspective, it's not worth it for the Yankees to rush him back.

The Yankees' best lineup needs Judge in the outfield

Judge's injury will effectively prevent him from playing in right field and limit him to designated hitter duties. However, the Yankees' best lineup needs him playing in right field, as sticking him at DH with the roster currently constructed will force another one of the team's best hitters onto the bench.

After spending the first half of the season as the Yankees' starting first baseman, Ben Rice became the everyday DH when the team traded for Luis Garcia Jr., who subsequently took over at first. Garcia plays much better defense at first than Rice does, but Rice has been more productive overall (h/t Yankees) at the plate.

Regardless, both are among the Yankees' best hitters and will be integral to their postseason run.

Desert Drive for Ben Rice 👊 pic.twitter.com/iQ0wjS5sVX
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 19, 2026

By having Judge at DH, either Garcia or Rice would come out of the lineup. If Rice is playing first, the Yankees lose access to Garcia's strong glove at the position as well as a threat for extra bases in the heart of the order. If Garcia is at first, the team loses access to Rice's elite power and outstanding poise in clutch situations.

If one of them is called upon to pinch-hit at any point, then one will take over for the other for the rest of the game.

Having Judge in right field instead of the DH spot allows the Yankees to play both Garcia and Rice. But putting Judge in the field with a bad calf is a recipe for disaster.

The Yankees can't afford a career-altering injury to Judge

Calf strains are notorious for being easy to re-injure; look no further than Giancarlo Stanton, who essentially missed the entire season due to calf strains in both legs, including a re-injury to the original strain when rehabbing.

The calf also leads into the Achilles tendon, which becomes vulnerable to tears if the calf is already injured. Achilles tears are not only season-ending in any sport, but the long-term effects are devastating. In a baseball example, former Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was one of the game's premier sluggers before an Achilles tear during the 2011 postseason, and he was never the same hitter after.

The Yankees don't want that for Judge, and neither does he (h/t Gary Phillips).

Aaron Judge said that the soleus muscle is more "crucial" to hitting and running.

He is going to continue throwing and working out. #Yankees https://t.co/qUvFLweHVl
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) September 19, 2026

If Judge were to reaggravate the calf or tear his Achilles, he risks missing even more time during the 2027 season. The Yankees already saw how dramatically the offense struggles when he's out long-term, and they simply can't risk that happening again next year, especially for a player approaching his mid-30s. Neither Judge nor the Yankees even know the grade of the calf strain right now, which is further reason not to chance anything and shut him down.

Obviously, Judge still wants to play during the postseason because that's when the games matter the most. But given the nature of his injury—which is to the soleus muscle, a crucial part of his ability to hit and run—playing through it isn't an option.

The only option is for the rest of the team to step up in Judge's absence and make a deep postseason run, and perhaps the Yankees can get their captain back if he's feeling 100% by the AL Championship Series or World Series.

Get Yankees On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google