The New York Yankees won their Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox with relative ease, outscoring their rivals 18-2 in the two-game sweep. They did it without their biggest name and best player, three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, and will now attempt to do the same in the American League Division Series.
The Yankees will still be without a captain for the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, starting Saturday at Tropicana Field. Judge is not on New York’s ALDS roster, the team announced Saturday morning before its 6:30 p.m. game. Judge, 34, has been on the injured list since Sept. 16 with a calf strain.
The only change from the Wild Card Series roster was the removal of infielder Amed Rosario and the addition of reliever Ryan Weathers.
“We’ll see,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday of Judge’s ALDS status. “He’s going to practice today. He hit live again yesterday at Yankee Stadium. He’s doing more live today at (George M. Streinbrenner Field in Tampa) and here, so we’ll make those calls probably later tonight.”
Judge made a few carries, but obviously not enough to make the ALDS roster. Boone told reporters earlier this week that Judge has “made progress” but is still left off the roster for the Wild Card Series and now the ALDS.
Unlike the regular season, where players can be added to the roster at will, Judge cannot replace another player during this round, barring injury. Had the Yankees elected to roster him and found that he could not play, his removal would have also invalidated him for the ALCS, as a player replaced on the roster due to injury, by rule, must be removed from the roster for the next round. Forcing a return now could have led to Judge missing more time later.
Additionally, if Judge had served as the designated hitter instead of playing right field in the ALDS, it would have forced Luis García Jr. to the bench with Ben Rice playing first base. García has been productive since the Yankees landed him before the trade deadline, and he was 3 for 5 with a home run in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series.
Judge was out for most of the 2026 regular season due to what was initially called a bone bruise in his right ribcage that also affected his right shoulder. He returned in early September, but was only able to play seven games before injuring his lower leg. Turns out the Yankees labeled the latest injury as a right calf injury.
In those seven games after returning from the injured list, with no minor league rehab assignments, Judge was 4 for 23 (.174) with 13 strikeouts, although he did homer in his sixth game.
In total this season, Judge has played in 66 games, hitting .241/.360/.511 (.140 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 18 home runs, 41 RBIs, 45 runs and 1.9 WAR. The Yankees were 41-25 in games Judge started this season and, now including the playoffs, are 54-43.
The Rays had the best record in the AL this season at 98-64 and won the AL East by 4 ½ games over New York. The Rays won the regular season series against the Yankees, 7-6.
Gn sports
