Yankees Leave Aaron Judge Off ALDS Roster

Aaron Judge isn’t part of the Yankees’ roster for the AL Division Series, according to YES Network’s Jack Curry.  Barring an injury that requires the removal of someone on the current 26-man roster, Judge will miss New York’s second consecutive playoff series.

A right calf strain forced Judge to make an early exit from the Yankees’ 5-4 loss to the Twins on September 16, and he was placed on the 10-day injured list three days later (with a retroactive placement to the 17th).  The timing obviously raised many questions about Judge’s availability for the postseason, and while the three-time AL MVP hoped he’d be ready for the Wild Card Series, manager Aaron Boone was less optimistic.

As it turned out, the Yankees didn’t need Judge in what was a lopsided sweep of the Red Sox in the ALWCS.  New York outscored Boston 18-2 over the two games, as just about the entire Yankee lineup picked up the offensive slack.  Naturally, it’s asking a lot for the Yankees to continue anything close to this sort of offense for the remainder of the playoffs, and the club’s chances of beating the Rays (let alone winning the World Series) will be hampered by Judge’s absence.

While his teammates battled the Red Sox, Judge has spent the last week taking live batting practices and other swings at both Yankee Stadium and at the Yankees’ minor league facilities.  As per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and several other beat writers, Judge was slated to take part in a workout yesterday at the Yankees’ Spring Training complex, and Boone said that Judge hasn’t yet run the bases heading into that workout.

It seems like Judge’s calf is still not fully healed enough for the Yankees to risk activating him from the IL.  As difficult as it will be for the Yankees to get by the Rays, the bigger-picture element of Judge’s availability is another factor — if Judge had been on the roster but then had to be removed due to injury, he would’ve been ineligible for the ALCS.  Tropicana Field’s artificial surface was probably another element in the Yankees’ decision, as playing on the turf might’ve posed a larger risk to Judge’s calf (or he would’ve just been a defensive liability in right field).  Even if Judge was used just as a DH rather than a right fielder, that means Ben Rice or Luis Garcia Jr. would’ve been left out of the lineup.

One injured Yankee will be making his return in the ALDS, as southpaw Ryan Weathers is part of the 26-man roster.  Weathers hasn’t pitched since August 22, as a left flexor strain sidelined him for the last month-plus of the regular season and the ALWCS.  Weathers replaces Amed Rosario in the only change from the 26-man roster New York deployed against Boston….

Catchers: Austin Wells, Ali Sanchez
Infielders: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Garcia Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, George Lombard Jr., Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice, Anthony Volpe
Outfielders: Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Spencer Jones, Heliot Ramos
Utility players: Jose Caballero
DH: Giancarlo Stanton
Left-handed pitchers: Max Fried, Brent Headrick, Carlos Rodon, Ryan Weathers, Ryan Yarbrough
Right-handed pitchers: David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, John Schreiber, Will Warren