In the Wild Card Series, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox with little trouble, outscoring their opponents 18-2 across the two-game sweep. The team accomplished this achievement despite being missing their biggest name and best player, three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, who was absent from the lineup. Now they face a new test in the American League Division Series.
Judge is not on New York’s ALDS roster, the team announced Saturday morning ahead of its 6:30 p.m. game. The 34-year-old has been on the injured list since Sept. 16 with a calf strain. Manager Aaron Boone made the call himself, telling reporters that keeping Judge off the roster was the right move even though the captain is getting close to returning.
Boone’s Decision to Keep Judge Off
Boone explained his reasoning directly. “Ultimately, I obviously decided keeping him off was the best thing,” he said. “Again, I feel like he’s getting close, but I feel like for us to get a version of Aaron back and to win a World Series, I feel like this week’s important for him to continue to work towards getting back.”
“He just started running. He’s hit now a couple of days. So I think another several days of doing that and building some endurance, I think, is important. Understanding entirely that we’re guaranteed nothing. We don’t play well, next week we’re home and we don’t get it.”
This choice has consequences that go beyond ordinary circumstances. During the regular season, teams are free to add players to their rosters whenever they wish. Not so now. Judge cannot be substituted for someone else during this round, except in cases where an injury forces his removal. If the Yankees had placed him on the roster and later discovered he was unable to play, taking him off would have disqualified him from the ALCS entirely. According to the rules, a player who is removed from the roster because of an injury may not return to it for the next round.
If Judge had returned right away, he might have missed even more time later on. Instead, Boone believed the smart move was to give Aaron five, six, or seven more days of genuine buildup: increasing his running, building his endurance, getting real at-bats, and taking BP daily, so that the team could get a better version of him.
What Happens to the Roster Instead
The roster for the postseason changed in just two places: infielder Amed Rosario came off it, and reliever Ryan Weathers joined it. That swap preserves the rest of the lineup. If Aaron Judge had sat as a designated hitter rather than playing right field during the ALDS, that would have left Luis García Jr. on the bench, with Ben Rice taking over at first base. García has produced well since the Yankees acquired him before the trade deadline, and he went 3 for 5 with a home run in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series.
Judge’s Long Road Back From Injury
The Judge missed most of the 2026 regular season after doctors said he had a bone bruise in his right ribcage that was also bothering his right shoulder. He came back in early September, but managed just seven games before another lower leg injury ended his season. The Yankees later announced the second injury was a right calf strain.
Judge returned from the injured list without completing a minor-league rehab assignment, and in the seven games that followed, his average stood at 4 for 23, which works out to a .174 clip, while he recorded 13 strikeouts and hit a home run in his sixth game.
Since Sept. 16, a calf strain has kept him sidelined. He has been moving forward through his rehab work, yet the Yankees remain cautious, wanting to ensure he is fully prepared before they bring him back into play.
His Season Numbers So Far
This season, Judge made 66 appearances, putting up a line of .241/.360/.511, which is an OPS+ of .140, along with 10 doubles, 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs, and 1.9 WAR. The Yankees went 41-25 when Judge began their games this year, and adding in the playoffs, they are now at 54-43.
The figures show a player whose performance was plainly restricted by his injuries. His team’s record from the games where he started demonstrates just how significant his presence is when he is healthy.
The Rays Are the Team Standing in the Way
This season, Tampa Bay posted the American League’s best record at 98-64 and took the AL East title by 4 ½ games over New York. In the regular-season series between the two teams, the Rays came out on top with a 7-6 record against the Yankees.
The Yankees face a formidable challenge in Tampa Bay, and they will need every available hitter to come through. The choice to leave Judge off the roster stands out because it takes away the team’s top performer from a tough contest.
Why the Wait Makes Sense
The return of Judge is drawing near, though he remains unprepared. A further span of five or six days of running, endurance work, and daily BP should bring him into a stronger position to assist the club during the ALCS and whatever follows.
By holding Judge back and keeping him from overworking himself, the Yankees are securing his health while also safeguarding their odds of winning a World Series.
The Bottom Line
The team knows Judge will come back, and when that day arrives, he will be prepared to assist the group. Until then, the course of action has been set: Judge remains off the ALDS roster, the Yankees face the Rays at Tropicana Field, and the club presses on without him.
Key Facts Box
- Judge is 34 years old and a three-time AL MVP
- He has been on the injured list since Sept. 16 with a right calf strain
- The Yankees swept the Red Sox 18-2 in the Wild Card Series
- The Rays finished 98-64, best in the AL
- Judge appeared in 66 games with 18 home runs and 1.9 WAR
- The only roster changes: Rosario removed, Weathers added
The franchise player is being protected by the Yankees, and they are acting with urgency during a period of great importance.
Source material: “Aaron Judge left off of Yankees' ALDS roster vs. Rays: Three-time MVP still recovering from calf injury,” CBS Sports.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.