Three-time MVP Aaron Judge will not play in the New York Yankees’ American League Division Series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, leaving the team’s roster without one of its biggest stars. Judge was omitted from the Yankees’ ALDS lineup, and the move comes with a calf strain that may keep him out for the rest of October.
Judge sat out the Yankees’ two-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round, and the team confirmed he will miss the start of the ALDS. The decision means the 34-year-old will sit out the Yankees’ first playoff games without him since 2015.
The Calf Strain That Changed Everything
Judge injured his right calf on Sept. 16 at Minnesota, just seven games after returning from a rib fracture. He played in just 66 games this season, far below his usual workload, after winning consecutive AL MVP awards. His absence now extends into the postseason.
The injury came at a bad time. Judge had barely recovered from the rib fracture before the calf issue struck, and his season totals reflect the interruptions: just 66 games played.
The team’s network first reported Judge was not included on the ALDS roster. Judge himself vowed to “do all he can” to return, but the Yankees have kept him out of action while he recovers. He has worked out at the team’s spring training facility in Tampa since the club arrived there.
Manager Aaron Boone did not specify whether Judge had run the bases in his rehab progression, often one of the final steps before a return. He did note that Judge had tested the calf in other ways.
What Judge Has Done Since the Injury
Judge’s rehab has been steady but limited. He has taken swings and done workouts, and Boone has not specified whether Judge has run the bases. The team has kept him out of action while he recovers.
The Yankees swept the Red Sox in two games, marking their first playoff contests without Judge since 2015. The team now faces the Rays, who won the AL East in Judge’s absence.
Judge has made clear he wants to play. Whether the Yankees let him back on the field depends on how his calf responds in the coming days. For now, the team is moving forward without him.
Key Facts
- Judge was left off the Yankees’ ALDS roster
- The injury occurred Sept. 16 at Minnesota
- Judge played just 66 games this season
- He has not run the bases in his rehab yet, according to Boone
- The Yankees swept the Red Sox in two games
Rehab Schedule
- Workout sessions at the spring training facility in Tampa
- Testing the calf in other ways, per Boone
Source material: “Three-time MVP Aaron Judge left OFF Yankees roster vs Rays with injury,” Yahoo Sports.
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