Dispute between Aaron Boone and Aaron Judge over the player's comments regarding his injury

A difference in how Aaron Judge’s latest injury was described briefly created an awkward moment between the New York Yankees captain and manager Aaron Boone , although both sides have since stressed that their relationship remains strong.

The issue surfaced after Boone said Tuesday that Judge was dealing with a moderate-grade right calf strain and that the Yankees weren’t expecting their star outfielder to be available for the upcoming American League Wild Card Series.

Boone didn’t completely eliminate the possibility of a return, but he acknowledged that the team was preparing for the postseason without Judge.

Judge responded the following day, making it clear that his own expectations were different. Before the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays, he said his plan was to be ready when the playoffs began. When asked about Boone’s description of the injury, Judge questioned the terminology, noting that the meaning of “moderate” can vary.

The comments prompted questions about whether there was tension between the player and his manager. However, Boone addressed the matter Thursday and confirmed that he and Judge had spoken.

"I don't want to get too much into that, but at the end of the day we're all in this together," Boone said.

"And [we're] trying to get, in his case, trying to get him right and get him healthy so he can be an option for us here at some point.

“But we're also going to listen to the injury. I see it as just a passionate player that's doing all he can to get back for his teammates."

The circumstances surrounding Judge’s injury make his determination to return understandable. He had only recently come back from a rib injury that kept him out for more than three months.

After returning on Sept. 8, Judge played just seven games before discomfort in his calf forced him out of a Sept. 16 contest against Minnesota. An MRI subsequently confirmed the strain, which Judge identified as affecting the soleus muscle.

Boone and Judge remain focused on postseason return

Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list, making him eligible to return for the Yankees’ Sept. 27 regular-season finale against Baltimore. However, he’s already confirmed that he won’t play in that game. The more important question is whether he can recover sufficiently to contribute in October.

Boone said Judge has continued his rehabilitation, including treadmill work and exercises designed to help the calf recover. The outfielder also received a platelet-poor plasma injection as part of his treatment.

Still, the manager acknowledged that the Yankees have to respect the injury rather than rush their captain back.

Judge’s urgency is also understandable given his limited action this season. He’s appeared in only 66 games, batting .241 with 18 home runs and a .871 OPS. Following his return from the rib injury, he went 4-for-23 with 13 strikeouts and one homer.

Boone’s latest comments suggest there’s no lasting dispute between the two. Both player and manager appear to be working toward the same objective, giving Judge every reasonable opportunity to return while avoiding a setback that could keep him out even longer.