Aaron Judge Left Off Yankees' Wild-Card Roster
The Yankees opted for caution with their captain's calf strain, while other injured players return.
The New York Yankees have excluded captain Aaron Judge from their American League wild-card series roster against the Boston Red Sox, prioritizing his recovery from a right calf strain. Judge's absence comes despite his efforts to convince the team of his readiness, including participating in live batting practice on Monday.
The decision means the Yankees will begin their postseason without their prominent slugger, with the hope of potentially having him back for the ALDS if they advance past the Red Sox. This marks a conservative approach to Judge's injury, which he sustained less than two weeks ago.
In contrast to Judge's exclusion, Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham, and Ryan Weathers have all been included on the roster, having recently recovered from their own injuries. Stanton is expected to serve as a right-handed pinch-hitter, a role that gains increased importance given the Red Sox's prevalence of left-handed pitchers. He had been sidelined for five months due to multiple calf strains.
Grisham is set to return from a hamstring strain and will likely operate as a fourth outfielder, potentially starting in center field against right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in Game 2. This could shift Spencer Jones to right field. Grisham also provides a left-handed hitting option off the bench or a defensive replacement late in games.
Weathers, who missed the end of the regular season with a left forearm flexor strain, is slated to join the bullpen. While he may not be available for Game 1, he adds a left-handed power arm to a relief corps that experienced fatigue late in the season. He threw live batting practice on Monday, suggesting he could be available for a single inning.
The Yankees' roster for the best-of-three series comprises 10 pitchers and 16 position players, allowing manager Aaron Boone flexibility with his bench. Amed Rosario has also made the roster as a bench player. The team's decision reflects a balance between leveraging available talent and managing player health as they enter the critical postseason.