Judge's Leg Is the Thing to Watch With 14 Games Left

Aaron Judge is not on the injury report. That's the first thing worth saying. But the angle here is real enough to note: Judge has played just 40 games this season, and the coverage around his return has been consistent enough that durability is a legitimate question heading into the final two weeks. The Yankees are 84-64, five back in the AL East, holding a fourth seed in the AL — they need him healthy more than they need him heroic.

The numbers when he plays are what you'd expect from Judge. An OPS north of 1.000, 14 home runs in those 40 games. The problem isn't the production; it's the availability. Stanton is on the 60-day IL. Grisham is on the 10-day. The outfield depth behind Judge is functional but thin, and a leg issue that limits him even slightly — fewer starts, less range, a DH day here and there — changes the calculus on a roster already managing around its edges.

Fourteen games left. The Yankees have a magic number of four to clinch a playoff spot, so the seat isn't on fire. But the seed matters, and Judge matters to the seed. Worth keeping an eye on how the training staff manages his workload over the next 10 days.