Aaron Judge says he plans to be fit for the New York Yankees’ American League Wild Card series, despite a soleus muscle strain in his right calf. His expected availability matters because the Yankees need their three-time MVP’s batting and running to mount another World Series challenge, although manager Aaron Boone said the team is currently planning without him.

Judge was placed on the injured list after an MRI confirmed the strain and received a platelet-poor plasma injection on Monday. He must be cleared to resume baseball activities, while the Yankees decide their roster; if omitted, he cannot return until the AL Division Series. The injury follows a three-month absence with a fractured rib, and Judge had gone 4-for-23 with one home run and 13 strikeouts since returning.