MLB

Judge’s MLB playoff status uncertain

MLB playoffs

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge remains uncertain for the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays as he recovers from a calf injury.

The three-time AL MVP, who hasn't played since Sept. 16, took live batting practice Thursday at Yankee Stadium and worked out Friday at the team's spring training ballpark in Tampa. New York must submit its 26-man roster to Major League Baseball by 10 a.m. Saturday, about 10 hours before the opener.

Tropicana Field has artificial turf, which factors into whether Judge will be ready to return to right field.

"It plays into it a little bit," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday. "But we're looking at the days and so it's more is he going to be available at some point in this series, potentially, as a player? That's what we're kind of weighing and then seeing where he's at now these last few days having taken live BP."

Game 5 of the best-of-five series would be Oct. 10.

"I expect him playing right field, hitting third," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said..

If Judge isn't ready for the outfield, he could be used as a pinch hitter. Ben Rice, the Yankees' top hitter in Judge's absence, is the designated hitter. New York would be unlikely to have Rice at first in place of Paul Goldschmidt, who is a superior defender.

"The trainers obviously would play a big part in this," Boone said. "As the day unfolds, we'll see where we're at, what it potentially looks like for the series."

Judge was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to Sept. 8 and played in just seven games before straining his right calf on Sept. 16. He was limited to 66 games this season and hit .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs in September.

"I've done my deep dive on Aaron Judge," Rays Game 1 starter Drew Rasmussen said Friday. "I think we make the assumption he's in there until he's not."

Boone said he hasn't decided whether to include Giancarlo Stanton, who hasn't played since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs. Stanton was active in the Wild Card Series sweep of Boston but didn't get in the games, which both turned into blowouts.

Left-hander Ryan Weathers, sidelined with a left forearm flexor strain since Aug. 22, remains a roster possibility.

"Might be 10 pitchers, might be 11, might be 12," Boone said.

When will LA see Sale?

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss reported to Truist Park on Thursday determined to avoid asking ace starter Chris Sale if he'd be available for relief duty only two days after making a start in the National League Wild Card Series opener.

"I didn't want to put him in that position because I knew that even if he was hanging, he would tell me yes," Weiss said. "So I was not going to bring it up."

Weiss didn't have to worry. Sale was not going to make Weiss ask.

"Literally as soon as I stepped in my office this afternoon, he was sitting in the chair across from my desk, and he looked at me and he said 'I feel amazing.' That's what he said. I said, 'Well, let's talk.'"

That talk led to Sale recording the final four outs of the Braves' clinching 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.

Sale, the starter in Atlanta's 5-3 win in Tuesday's series opener, struck out Bryce Harper to end the eighth and closed out the win in the ninth by striking out Bryan De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Otto Kemp.

"I was hoping he only had to go one, but he had to get to four outs," Weiss said.

"But what a warrior, man. This guy, I've run out of superlatives for Chris Sale. Been talking about him all year. He's one of the best I've ever been around. When you take everything into consideration, teammate, competitor, performer, work ethic, all those things, he's as good as I've ever been around."

Weiss said the discussion with Sale in his office did not include any mention of how pitching in relief on Thursday night could affect the left-hander's availability for a possible start Sunday in Game 2 of the NL Division Series at the LA Dodgers.

Even without the work in relief to close the Wild Card Series, four days' rest would be less than Sale often was given in the regular season, when he was 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA. Sale, 37, often was given extra rest and that helped him stay strong and record 200 strikeouts in 162 2/3 innings.

When asked if Sale was an option for Sunday's game, Weiss said "I don't know. I have no idea. We weren't even worried about that. We haven't even talked about that. We didn't look past tonight."