Yankees Leave Aaron Judge Off ALDS Roster Against Rays

American League Division Series: Yankees vs Rays

The New York Yankees will begin the American League Division Series without Aaron Judge, who was left off the club’s 26-man roster as he continues to recover from a right calf strain. Judge will miss a second consecutive postseason round after also being excluded from the Yankees’ Wild Card Series roster against the Boston Red Sox.

New York opens the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at 6:38 p.m. at Tropicana Field. The Yankees had until 10 a.m. Saturday to submit their roster. They will carry 11 pitchers and 15 position players against the AL East champion Rays. The only change from the Wild Card roster is the addition of left-hander Ryan Weathers in place of utilityman Amed Rosario.

Giancarlo Stanton Remains on Yankees Roster

The Yankees also kept Giancarlo Stanton on the roster despite his lengthy absence from game action. Stanton served as a pinch-hitting option during the Wild Card Series against Boston but did not receive an at-bat during New York’s two-game sweep. He has not played in a game since April while dealing with three separate calf strains.

The Yankees are expected to continue using Stanton primarily as a pinch-hitter in the ALDS. Weathers, meanwhile, has not pitched since leaving a start Aug. 22 with a forearm flexor strain. He joins the roster as a limited one-inning relief option and is not cleared to pitch on consecutive days. The schedule could help New York manage Weathers’ workload, with an off-day following Game 1 and another off-day after Game 2.

Aaron Judge Continues Recovery From Calf Strain

Judge has not appeared in a game since Sept. 16, when he strained the soleus muscle in his right calf during his seventh game back after missing more than three months with a fractured rib. The 34-year-old was placed on the injured list three days later and received a platelet-poor plasma injection in an effort to aid his recovery. He then resumed baseball activities as the regular season came to an end.

Judge remained determined to return for the postseason despite Yankees manager Aaron Boone describing the injury as a “moderate grade” strain. The Yankees considered putting Judge on the Wild Card roster, but ultimately decided against it. New York then swept Boston, outscoring its longtime rival 18-2 in the two games at Yankee Stadium to advance to the ALDS.

Judge Continued Making Progress Throughout The Week

He ran in right field before Game 1 of the Wild Card Series Tuesday and took live batting practice Wednesday at the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate before Game 2. He again faced live pitching Thursday at Yankee Stadium before the team traveled to Florida. Judge worked out Friday at the Yankees’ minor-league complex in Tampa before joining the team at Tropicana Field for its workout.

He took batting practice on the field with his teammates but did not run. Boone acknowledged Friday that the Tropicana Field turf would factor into the Yankees decision regarding Judge. He also suggested the possibility that Judge could be placed on the roster but face restrictions early in the series. Ultimately, New York decided to proceed without its star slugger once again.

Yankees Must Advance for Judge to Return

The Yankees have gone 54-43 without Judge this season, but his absence creates another challenge as they face the Rays in the ALDS. Unless an injury substitution becomes necessary, Judge will not have another opportunity to play in the 2026 postseason unless the Yankees defeat Tampa Bay and advance to the American League Championship Series. For now, New York will rely on the roster that carried it through a dominant Wild Card sweep while Judge continues working toward a potential return.