Yankees unveil Wild Card roster: Aaron Judge officially out
The Yankees will have to navigate October without their biggest offensive star as Judge continues his recovery from a calf injury
Aaron Judge’s hopes of returning for the New York Yankees’ postseason opener have officially come to an end.
The Yankees have left their captain off the roster for the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox , confirming that the slugger won’t be available when the longtime rivals meet Tuesday night in the Bronx.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding Judge’s health. The Yankees star has spent much of the season dealing with injuries, including a rib fracture that kept him out for roughly three months.
After returning to the lineup, Judge suffered another setback when he was placed on the injured list with a calf strain on Sept. 16.
Despite the setback, Judge had remained hopeful that he could make himself available for the postseason. He had been taking swings and working on his conditioning, while Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that the 34-year-old was making progress.
Judge also said he had been running on an anti-gravity treadmill and that the workouts had been feeling good.
Those encouraging signs, however, weren't enough for New York to put Judge on the roster. With the Yankees facing a short Wild Card series, the organization ultimately decided not to risk bringing back its star before he's ready.
Judge's absence is a significant blow to a Yankees lineup that will now have to find additional production elsewhere. Even with his injury interruptions, he remained one of the team's most important offensive contributors when healthy.
His presence in the middle of the order would've provided another major challenge for Boston's pitching staff.
Stanton returns as Yankees reshape lineup without Judge
The Yankees did receive some positive news with Giancarlo Stanton making the roster. Stanton has also dealt with a lengthy absence, having been sidelined since late April with a calf strain.
He appeared in only 24 regular-season games and recorded three home runs in 90 at-bats, but his postseason experience gives New York another potentially important power bat.
Stanton has historically been productive when the games matter most. In 48 career playoff games with the Yankees, he's hit 18 home runs while posting a .254/.322/.605 slash line. Seven of those homers came during New York's run to the pennant in the 2024 postseason.
His right-handed power could be especially useful against a Boston pitching staff that features several left-handed options. Still, Stanton's return won't completely replace what Judge brings to the Yankees' offense.
New York will need contributions from players such as Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Heliot Ramos and Paul Goldschmidt as it begins the series.
The Yankees finished the regular season ninth in MLB in runs scored and 11th in OPS, but losing Judge removes another key source of power from an already tested lineup.
The Yankees and Red Sox are meeting in another postseason chapter of one of baseball's most recognizable rivalries. With Judge unavailable, New York will have to rely on its remaining hitters and pitching staff to navigate the opening round.
