NEW YORK — Aaron Judge spent the hours before the Yankees opened October doing almost everything except appearing in their lineup.
The Yankees captain had taken live batting practice a day earlier, continued throwing and was seen working on the field at Yankee Stadium before Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge had made meaningful progress from the right calf injury that ended his regular season, but the club still believed he could not yet handle the full demands of postseason play.
That judgment kept the three-time AL MVP off the Yankees’ 26-man Wild Card Series roster. Judge had pushed to make himself available, while Boone and the medical staff emphasized that running, cutting and playing the outfield remained the biggest tests.
He missed 84 games with a fractured right rib, returned in September without a minor league rehab assignment and played only seven games before the calf strain forced him out again. Judge finished at .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs in 66 games for a Yankees team that went 93-68 and claimed the top AL wild-card spot.
The Yankees then beat Boston 9-0 in Game 1 behind Cam Schlittler’s 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Ben Rice’s two home runs, including an eighth-inning grand slam. Payton Tolle took the loss, and no save was needed. Yet before the rout began, another Judge-related decision created a fresh round of questions.
Judge’s name missing while other inactive Yankees are introduced
During the postseason pregame introductions, Judge was not announced with the Yankees. The omission stood out because other inactive members of the club were introduced even though they were not on the Wild Card roster.
MLB.com reporter Bryan Hoch called the scene unusual while both teams were lined up along the baselines.
“Red Sox and Yankees are on the baseline. Odd that Aaron Judge wasn’t introduced. Other inactive members of the team were,” Hoch wrote.
Judge was later seen in the Yankees dugout. As of Wednesday morning, the New York team had not publicly explained why their captain was excluded from the ceremony.
That distinction matters. Judge’s absence from the active roster had a clear baseball explanation. The pregame introduction did not. Because inactive Yankees were included, roster status alone did not explain why No. 99 was missing.
Boone says Yankees made call after ‘honest conversation’
The introduction issue arrived only hours after Boone explained why the Yankees had left Judge off the roster. Boone, Judge and members of the training staff met after Monday’s live batting-practice session.
Boone said Judge had cleared several important steps just to reach that workout, but the Yankees still did not believe he was ready for a playoff game.
“I just felt like it wasn’t quite ready to be what he needs to be for us,” Boone said.
Judge’s work continued Tuesday. He threw on the field and also ran in the outfield before Game 1.
Boone also stressed that Judge remained engaged inside the clubhouse despite being unavailable. He said the captain was participating prominently in hitters’ meetings and helping teammates prepare.
“He is the guy in the room, and guys look to him. Him being around and a sounding board and being front and center is important. He brings a lot to the table outside the lines too,” Boone said.
Two omissions create a Yankees optics problem beyond roster rules
The timing turned a ceremonial detail into a larger Yankees story.
Judge appeared in only 66 of New York’s 161 regular-season games, or 41%, yet his status remained the dominant question around the Yankees entering October. His role as captain and three-time MVP made the contrast between his presence around the club and his absence from the ceremony more noticeable.
Judge had publicly made clear that he wanted to play. On Monday, after taking live batting practice, he said he intended to keep trying to persuade the Yankees.
“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, I feel like, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said.
Less than 24 hours later, the Yankees formally left him off the Wild Card roster. Then, shortly before first pitch, they omitted him from introductions while recognizing other players who were also inactive.
That sequence does not establish a dispute between Judge and the Yankees. Judge has not publicly criticized the introduction decision, and the club has not said the omission reflected any disagreement. But it created a gap in the Bronx Bombers’ messaging while their captain’s status was already under intense scrutiny.
It also contrasted with Boone’s description of Judge as “front and center” behind the scenes. Judge could not play, but he was still throwing, rehabbing, attending meetings and sitting in the dugout.
Judge’s next chance depends on Yankees advancing
The Yankees’ 9-0 win reduced the immediate baseball pressure. New York entered Game 2 needing one victory to advance to the ALDS, where Judge could be reconsidered for a new postseason roster.
Boone has not put a date on Judge’s return. The Yankees are monitoring whether he can run, change direction and handle the movements required to play right field.
“Hopefully we’re able to advance. These are valuable days as he gets closer to being a real option for us and hopefully be a part of it at some point moving forward,” Boone said.
For now, Judge remains both highly visible and conspicuously absent: working with the Yankees, appearing in their dugout and trying to return, but missing from both the Wild Card roster and the team’s first postseason introduction.
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