New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has raised hopes that he could play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs next week, contradicting comments from manager Aaron Boone.Boone repeated that he’s not counting on Judge to play in the AL Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday, but Judge – who has been sidelined since September 16 – said he’s trying to do all he can to be in the lineup.’The Bronx is a magical place in October,’ Judge said after Wednesday night’s 9-2 win over AL East champion Tampa Bay. ‘I don’t want to miss out on that opportunity.’He added: ‘My goal is to come back as soon as I can. That’s what I’m doing right now. If [Boone] said I’m not gonna be ready, I’ve got no control over that. I’ve got control over what I can do. ‘I’m trying to get back as soon as I can. If you ask if I’m gonna be back [for the wild-card series], I’m gonna say, “Yeah.”‘Boone had previously publicly called Judge’s strain ‘moderate’, a choice of words Judge was not happy with, leading to him publicly calling out his manager to the media. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge still hopes to return from a strained right calf for the playoffs Judge, who is dealing with a calf problem, also missed a long period with a rib issue this year’Everybody’s moderate is a little different,’ he said. ‘I don’t know why [Boone] used those words.’Judge had a platelet-poor plasma injection on Monday. He was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to September 8 and played in just seven games before the latest injury.’Any injection doesn’t feel too good that day, but I feel a lot better today and we’re going to keep making strides,’ he said.A three-time AL Most Valuable Player (MVP), Judge is hitting .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 66 games this season, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs since coming back from the rib injury.’We are going to listen to the body and see how he heals,’ Boone said. ‘If he is in a position to do that, obviously we are going to want him. So, no, I haven’t ruled anything out, of course.’ Manager Aaron Boone repeated he’s not counting on Judge to play in the AL Wild Card SeriesBoone said Tuesday he wasn’t planning on having Judge available for next week’s best-of-three series, likely against Boston.’Obviously as a player, you don’t want to hear that but that’s out of my control,’ Judge said.In another boost to the Yankees, Giancarlo Stanton could also be back after a five-and-a-half month absence. Stanton, trying to return from injuries to calf muscles in both legs, faced pitchers Wednesday at Double-A Somerset along with center fielder Trent Grisham, sidelined since straining his right hamstring on September 4. Both ran the bases and Stanton homered while taking six or seven at-bats.’Putting them on the outskirts of the conversation,’ Boone, bothered by a cold, said in a raspy voice. Giancarlo Stanton is also closing in on a return after missing five months with strained calvesStanton hasn’t played since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs after starting the season with a .256 batting average, three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games.The 36-year-old former NL MVP had 38 homers and 100 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2018 but has missed 500 of 1,194 games since, through the end of this regular season.His other injuries included strains of his right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (three times), left quadriceps and both calf muscles along with right ankle inflammation, left Achilles tendinitis and tendon pain in both elbows.