AARON JUDGE CONTRADICTS BOONE ON WILD-CARD RETURN PLANS

Aaron Judge has said he expects to be available for the New York Yankees' wild-card series, contradicting comments made by manager Aaron Boone about his recovery. Judge has been out of the Yankees' lineup since last weekend because of a calf strain. Asked about Boone's remarks on his fitness, Judge said: "Not sure why he said that." His comments amount to a direct disagreement between player and manager over the timeline for his return to action. The two accounts differ on whether Judge will be fit to play once the postseason begins.

The calf strain forced Judge out of the Yankees' starting lineup last weekend, as the team continued its push towards the postseason. Boone had previously given his own account of Judge's readiness to return, an account that Judge's remarks now directly contradict. Judge is regarded as one of the Yankees' leading players, making his availability for the postseason a significant question for the team. The wild-card series forms the opening round of Major League Baseball's postseason. Judge said he intends to be ready for that round despite the calf injury.

The disagreement between Judge and Boone adds uncertainty to the Yankees' preparations as the postseason approaches. It remains unclear whether Judge will be included in the Yankees' roster once the wild-card series begins. His public contradiction of his manager's comments is notable given his standing as one of the team's most prominent players. Judge's own comments suggest he intends to push for inclusion in the series regardless of Boone's earlier assessment. Judge said his focus remains on being ready to play when the series gets under way.