Are we at an Aaron Judge career crossroads?

Fans took a collective deep breath when the Yankees lifted three-time MVP Aaron Judge from Wednesday’s afternoon against the Minnesota Twins.

Judge had finally returned from a broken rib last week after over three months out of action. He had already had Tuesday night off. Was this some planned load management ahead of Thursday’s travel day to Arizona for the weekend?

Alas, no. The three-time MVP was removed from the game because of right lower leg tightness. He is currently day to day, but losing Judge right in the thick of the AL East race and eventual playoff series could prove catastrophic. Aaron Boone deserves more respect as Yankees manager rather than the constant X/Twitter vitriol.

Things took an even worse turn on Friday when it was announced Judge would be placed on the injured list with a calf strain.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is an important time to have an important conversation because let’s be honest. At 34 years old and with five years left on his nine-year, $360 million contract, Aaron Judge is reaching something of a crossroads.

Two roads diverged, not too dissimilar from those in Frost’s yellow wood. In one direction, this season is a blip on the radar and, knowing Judge, he returns to form and wins a fourth MVP trophy. Modern day Barry Bonds indeed!

But in the other direction is something far less preferred. This could be the beginning of Aaron Judge’s inevitable decline at the plate, and the injuries could soon pile on like they did earlier in his career. Instant transformation from today’s Bonds into a Giancarlo Stanton sequel nobody wanted.

Now, to be fair, the Yankees assumed this risk when they signed Judge to his lucrative contract. Hell, every team that signs this type of contract in free agency. Front offices understand that they are really paying for the first half of the deal. Anything beyond the first four or five years is basically a gamble. Aaron Judge is no different, age will come for him like it does every ballplayer.

The greater issue is something we have discussed at length. Fans’ frustration with Judge is a combination of his always suffering weird injuries and his being very cagey about his rehab. The man hits the injured list and retreats with a monk-like silence.

And in the meantime, the Yankees’ offense almost always sputters without him. This season being no exception. Judge’s injury was only magnified by Cody Bellinger missing extended time. Giancarlo Stanton also hasn’t played since April. Now add Ben Rice batting .184 in August when all three were out of the lineup.

Aaron Judge is the Yankees’ V8 engine. The lineup’s heartbeat. Its motor. Without the captain, it runs more like a used Focus than a brand new Mustang. Forget that he was batting .174 since coming back from his broken rib. Judge is that type of great.

The good news is that in the immediate, Judge’s teammates have gotten the memo that the offense can’t start and stop with him. Other players need to step up in his place. Cut to a 9-2 win over the Diamondbacks on Friday in which Rice and George Lombard Jr. each homered.

But that’s just one game, and Aaron Judge will miss at least ten. One can only hope this is just a bump in the road on his way back to MVP form.

Yet, let’s be real. Judge isn’t getting any younger. He’ll likely miss time with injuries in the future as well.

Now that he’s nearing age 35, the Yankees need to be better prepared for if and when he hits the IL.