Everything we know about Aaron Judge's calf injury and his playoff availability for Yankees

· Yahoo Sports

Everything we know about Aaron Judge's calf injury and his playoff availability for Yankees originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Visit esporist.org for more information.

The Yankees' path to the World Series was always going to run through their starting rotation, but there's no doubt Aaron Judge is essential to their chances of a deep run.

The three-time MVP missed more than three months this season with a rib injury, and his return from the injured list turned out to be only a brief respite. Just nine days before the end of the regular season, Judge was placed back on the IL with a calf injury.

The new injury has Judge's postseason status in question, given the quick turnaround.

Here's what you need to know about Judge's injury and his availability for the playoffs.

MORE:Updated MLB standings, magic numbers

What is Aaron Judge's injury?

Judge is dealing with a "moderate-grade" calf strain, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday. He received an injection on Monday to help speed up the healing process and must avoid baseball activities for a few days as a result.

Judge first showed signs of the injury during a game against the Twins on Sept. 16, when he appeared to wince during a swing and exited the game in the sixth inning. He landed on the injured list two days later.

Initially described vaguely as a lower-leg issue, the news that Judge was dealing with a calf strain raised plenty of concern among fans that the slugger's status for the postseason could be up in the air.

Here's what you need to know about Judge's availability with the playoffs looming.

MORE:Here's who Pete Crow-Armstrong could join in 40-40 club

Will Aaron Judge play in the MLB Playoffs?

Boone said Tuesday that Judge will likely miss the wild-card series, which is expected to be against the Red Sox.

"We're planning on him not being a part of that," Boone told reporters, while also not officially ruling him out.

Judge is eligible to come off the IL as early as the final day of the regular season, but Boone's comments indicate the Yankees star's regular season is over at the very least.

The Yankees hadn't officially been eliminated from AL East contention as of Boone's comments, but they can be eliminated as early as Tuesday and would need a miraculous turn of events to avoid a trip to the wild-card series, which starts just two days after the regular season ends.

As it stands now, a New York offense that struggled without Judge this season isn't likely to have him in the fold for a likely matchup with Boston.

Read full story at source