Yankees captain Judge exits early with calf tightness; team to monitor his recovery daily.

The Yankees had an almost perfect start to the series at Target Field in Minneapolis, winning the first two games easily. On Tuesday, Aaron Judge hit his first home run since returning from the IL on September 8.

However, in Thursday's game, Judge was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning, and the Yankees went on to lose 4–5 in 13 innings. Yankees fans collectively held their breath at the sight, which was entirely understandable.

After playing six straight games, Judge had a routine day off on Wednesday. Facing Twins starter Zebby Matthews on Thursday, he struck out in his first two at-bats. After the game, he said he felt tightness in his lower right calf as early as the first inning.

"I tried to tough it out and see how long I could go, because these games are important down the stretch," Judge said. "But after discussing it, I felt stepping out was the right call so I wouldn't be a liability in the field or on the bases."

The team has an off day tomorrow, so after receiving intensive treatment over the next 48 hours, they will assess the severity of the injury.

"We're not going to speculate. We'll see how he responds," manager Aaron Boone said.

Judge said he doesn't expect to undergo any imaging and couldn't pinpoint a specific play or activity that caused the tightness, but the feeling is not unfamiliar to him.

"I feel like this happens every spring training. Usually when the season starts and you ramp up again, some things pop up, and we've had that before," Judge said. "Luckily, nothing has bothered us since returning this time. So hopefully it's just a minor thing and I'll be back on the field soon."

The Yankees waited three months to get Judge back in the lineup, and losing him now would be a huge blow. At the same time, players and coaches must keep the big picture in mind. A mid-September Wednesday afternoon game against the Twins is far less important than the upcoming series against the Diamondbacks, Rays, and Orioles, as well as the potential postseason ahead.

In particular, the four-game series against the Rays starting next Wednesday could still decide the AL East title and possibly a first-round playoff bye.

"Obviously, he's a key part of our system," Boone said. "Hopefully we can manage this, get it resolved, and have him back as a contributor at some point."

Heliot Ramos replaced Judge at the plate and also struck out against Matthews. Matthews pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. If Judge is sidelined, Ramos is likely to take over in right field.

The Yankees traded blows with the Twins in extra innings and clearly could have used Judge's bat. In the top of the ninth, Anthony Volpe, with the team down to its last out, hit a game-tying double off the wall.

In the 12th, the Yankees wasted a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity as Ramos grounded into a double play and Volpe was tagged out at home. Then Ali Sánchez struck out to end the inning. In the 13th, Twins pinch hitter Victor Caratini hit a walk-off single up the middle, and the Yankees fell to the Twins after a 13-inning battle.