Aaron Judge has been left off the New York Yankees’ roster for their American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays due to a lingering right calf strain. The slugger will miss a second straight postseason series, though team officials have not ruled out a potential return if the club advances.
The New York Yankees will begin their American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays without their captain and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, who was officially left off the 26-man roster announced ahead of Game 1 at Tropicana Field. Judge has been sidelined since suffering a right calf strain on September 16 during a game against the Minnesota Twins.
Facing the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays presents a much steeper challenge than the Wild Card round, where the Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox by outscoring their rivals 18-2 without him. The club decided against risking a premature activation that could jeopardize both Judge’s health and the team’s roster flexibility for subsequent rounds.
Rehab Progress Dictates Postseason Roster Exclusion
Judge has spent the past week taking live batting practice and working out at Yankee Stadium, the club’s Class AAA facility in Somerset, and the spring training complex in Tampa. However, manager Aaron Boone noted that while the outfielder tested his calf through various drills, he had not yet run the bases heading into a workout. “We’ll see,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said about Judge’s status, adding that as the day unfolds they would evaluate where he stands for the series.
The trainers will obviously play a big part in this.
Aaron Boone, Yankees manager
Postseason roster regulations also factored heavily into the choice. Had Judge initially been included on the roster and subsequently sidelined by an injury requiring a replacement, he would have been barred from participating in the ALCS. Advancing past the Rays would set up a meeting with either the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS with a World Series berth on the line, affording Judge another week of healing time if he skips the current matchup.
Outfield Rotation Steps Up Against Tampa Bay
In Judge’s absence, the Yankees are relying on an outfield rotation featuring Spencer Jones, Heliot Ramos, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger.
Game 1 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on TBS and live streaming available on HBO Max and Sling.
Regular Season Cut Short by Lower-Body Injuries
Judge appeared in just 66 games during the regular season after winning consecutive American League MVP awards, batting .241 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs. He missed a significant portion of the summer due to a bone bruise in his right ribcage and shoulder before returning on September 8, only to sustain the lower leg injury just seven games into his comeback.
The Rays won the AL East by four and a half games and took the regular-season series 7-6. If the Yankees manage to get past them, Judge could have an opportunity to return as a pinch-hitter or designated hitter should the team reach the ALCS, with Game 1 scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
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