5 questions the Yankees must answer before the Playoffs

3. Is Aaron Judge healthy?

When Judge first went out with a broken wrist the Yankees were hopeful he’d return after three weeks on the disabled list. Instead, he missed seven weeks. To the surprise of no one, the team’s offense suffered without its top slugger.

The good news is Judge has looked like himself since returning to the lineup this week. Even his first at bat against Boston was encouraging. He didn’t get a hit, but he blistered a line drive to right field. Judge hasn’t hit a towering home run since returning to the active roster, but it looks like it’s only a matter of time.

Obviously, his ability to play like well, Aaron Judge, will have a huge impact on the Yankees offense in the postseason. Judge is the sort of hitter who can carry an attack all by himself if he’s really in a groove. It might be too much to hope for him to get that hot before the postseason begins, but it’s certainly not impossible.

Even if Judge doesn’t get a ton of hits before the regular season ends, he’s still going to be in the lineup for the Wild Card game. That’s all the more reason for his form heading in October to be something for Yankees fans to watch closely. His status will be a huge talking point for Boone heading into the Playoffs.