The New York Yankees are likely to enter the Wild Card Series next week without their captain, Aaron Judge, who is still recovering from a calf strain. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed Tuesday that Judge is not expected to be included on the Wild Card Series roster as he undergoes treatment, including a platelet-rich plasma injection received Monday, and is currently sidelined from all baseball activities.
Boone stated that the plan is for Judge not to participate in the upcoming postseason series. Judge himself told ESPN on Wednesday that he aims to get his body prepared to play but is uncertain whether he will officially be on the roster. Judge injured his right calf last Wednesday and is dealing with what Boone called a “moderate” strain. This came after a lengthy recovery from a fractured top right rib that kept him out for more than three months. To date, Judge has participated in only 66 of the Yankees’ 155 games this season and may not see any more action in 2026 depending on how far the team advances.
After returning from the rib injury, Judge did not take part in a minor-league rehab stint and struggled at the plate, going 4 for 23 with a very low batting average, a single walk, and 13 strikeouts over seven games. His timing appears off, raising concerns about what version of Judge the Yankees can count on if he does play this postseason. He has only played seven games since June 1.
The Yankees are also dealing with the absence of center fielder Trent Grisham, who is recovering from a hamstring strain and whose availability for the Wild Card Series remains uncertain. With both Judge and Grisham out, rookie Spencer Jones has been filling in at center field, Heliot Ramos, a recent trade acquisition, is playing right field, and Cody Bellinger is occupying left field.
If Judge remains unavailable, Boone’s projected postseason lineup would look like this:
- DH Ben Rice (LHB)
- LF Cody Bellinger (LHB)
- RF Heliot Ramos (RHB)
- 1B Luis Gárcia Jr. (LHB)
- CF Spencer Jones (LHB)
- SS George Lombard Jr. (RHB)
- 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (LHB)
- 3B Ryan McMahon (LHB)
- C Austin Wells (LHB)
This heavily left-handed lineup lacks Judge’s powerful right-handed presence. Ramos, originally intended mainly for platoon roles against left-handed pitchers, has started to improve, batting .265 over his last 12 games with three home runs and seven walks, including two homers off right-handed pitchers last weekend.
The Yankees have already clinched a postseason spot and remain mathematically alive in the AL East race, though catching the Tampa Bay Rays is a long shot. The two teams will face off in four games across three days starting Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, with the Rays needing just one win to capture the division title.
Most projections have the Yankees hosting their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in the Wild Card Series next week. With the Red Sox boasting a predominantly left-handed pitching staff, including right-handed starters Sonny Gray and Garrett Whitlock, Judge’s absence could loom large for New York.
Fan Take: Aaron Judge’s potential absence during the playoffs is a huge blow not only for the Yankees but for the excitement of baseball fans everywhere. His presence on the field is always electrifying, and without him, the outcome of the series and the dynamics of postseason baseball could shift dramatically, underscoring how much one star player can influence the sport.
Source: www.cbssports.com
