Judge (calf) said Wednesday that he intends to be ready to play in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Judge will miss the rest of the regular season due to a moderate right calf strain, but the fact that he's making an effort to play right away in the postseason is an encouraging sign of progress. However, the slugger's comments directly contradict manager Aaron Boone's belief that Judge may not be available until the ALDS. More clarity regarding Judge's return timeline will likely emerge after a few more days of recovery.