The New York Yankees are straight-up planning for their captain, Aaron Judge, to miss the Wild Card Series, with manager Aaron Boone confirming Tuesday that Judge isn’t expected on the roster. This is wild, considering Judge himself told ESPN on Wednesday that his “plan” is to “try to get my body ready so I’m ready to go” for the series. Talk about a disconnect, right? Boone’s already stated Judge is getting shut down from baseball activities after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection on Monday for a calf strain.
The Body Says No, But The Spirit Is Willing?
Judge’s right calf strain, which Boone called “moderate,” pulled him from a game last Wednesday. This isn’t just any injury, though. This was only his seventh game back after a fractured top right rib kept him out for over three months. Think about that: dude’s barely played. Judge has suited up for only 66 of New York’s 155 games this season. It’s fair to wonder if we’ll even see him on the field again in 2026, depending on how things shake out. He’s pushing to play, saying he’s got “no idea” if he’ll actually make the roster, but when your manager is planning without you, that’s a tough hill to climb.
Where’s The Bat? And Who’s Filling In?
Even if Judge magically appeared, what kind of performance would the Yankees get? His last seven games since returning from the rib fracture were rough: a .174 average with just 4 hits in 23 at-bats, one walk, and a staggering 13 strikeouts. His timing was completely off, and honestly, who could blame him after missing so much time? The Yankees are also missing center fielder Trent Grisham with a hamstring strain, so that’s another question mark. Without those two, Boone’s got rookie Spencer Jones in center, trade deadline pickup Heliot Ramos in right, and Cody Bellinger handling left field. The planned lineup is pretty lefty-heavy without Judge’s big right-handed bat. Ramos, who was supposed to be a platoon guy, started slow but he’s actually turned it around lately, going 9 for 34 with three homers and seven walks in his last 12 games. Two of those dingers even came against righties this past weekend.
The Yankees have already clinched a postseason berth, and they’re still mathematically alive in the AL East race, even if it’s a long shot. They kick off a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium, and one win in those four games will clinch the A. What a crazy end to the season, especially with their captain in limbo.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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