The Yankees are heading into the postseason without Aaron Judge in the mix for the Wild Card round, and that’s the hard reality Aaron Boone laid out Tuesday before the doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boone told reporters, “We're not planning on him being a part of that,” when asked about Judge’s availability for the AL Wild Card series, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. If Judge does make it back, Boone indicated that return would come in the ALDS or later.
That leaves New York in a tough spot after Judge’s latest setback. He had already missed a long stretch from the start of June until late August, and his brief return ended when a calf strain sent him back to the injured list. Now the Yankees are facing the possibility of moving deeper into October without their best player.
The timing points toward a Wild Card matchup that likely comes against the Boston Red Sox, with the Tampa Bay Rays on the verge of taking the AL East and the third Wild Card spot sitting well behind New York and Boston. That would make the series a home one for the Yankees against a division rival, but they’ll have to navigate it without Judge.
There is some good news on the roster front. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is coming back, and the Yankees are set to have the likely Cy Young winner on the mound in Cam Schlittler. Still, none of that changes the biggest absence on the board.
Judge’s return from the first injured-list stint wasn’t exactly seamless, either. He struggled a bit after coming back, and now a new injury has complicated everything again. Even if he does get back later in the postseason, the question won’t just be whether he’s available - it’ll be what kind of production the Yankees can reasonably expect from him.
For now, the picture is clear: Judge is out for the Wild Card round, and the Yankees will have to try to push forward without him while the rest of his postseason timeline remains uncertain.
In Other News...
Rockets Camp Opens With Pressure To Fix What Hurt Amen And Reed
The Rockets will open training camp with a roster that looks built to ease some of the burden that fell on Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard last season. New faces Marcus Smart, Bruce Thornton and Bogdan Bogdanovic are in the mix, and the hope in Houston is that a deeper, more balanced group gives those young guards a sturdier foundation than they had a year ago.
Marcus Smarts arrival in particular stands out as part of that effort to steady the backcourt and add more structure around Houstons core. Still, plenty of the camp conversation is likely to center on Fred VanVleet, with Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka expected to address his medical clearance at media day and leave the Rockets facing an important early question about how complete their guard rotation really is. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Preseason Battle Just Got More Crowded Than Fans Realize
The preseason competition around the Rockets just got a little more interesting with the addition of three undrafted prospects on two-way contracts for the 2026-2027 season. Houston brought in Quadir Copeland, a 6-foot-6 guard whose size and defense stand out, Sean Pedulla, a 6-foot-1 point guard praised for his shooting and playmaking, and Rafael Castro, a 6-foot-10 center who brings athleticism and a more traditional big-man profile.
For a team trying to sort through the back end of the roster, those moves add another layer to camp battles that already figure to be tight. Copeland, Pedulla and Castro will all have a chance to make their case in the preseason, and Houstons interest in each suggests the Rockets are looking for different kinds of upside as they build out depth and keep an eye on who can stick beyond October. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Camp Opens With 3 Questions That Could Limit This Team
Training camp is about to open for the Rockets, and the anticipation around this group is obvious. Houston enters the season with legitimate playoff expectations, but the early storyline is less about ceiling than about how quickly the roster settles into place. The Rockets have star power, young talent and a chance to make noise, yet they also have a few moving parts that could shape how smooth the start actually is.
Fred VanVleets status is one of the first things to watch as camp begins, while rookie E.J. Thornton adds another layer of intrigue as the team looks for internal growth. Kevin Durant remains the centerpiece of the offense and the rosters most dependable high-end scorer, which is why his condition matters so much to Houstons outlook. If the Rockets are going to look like a true contender, these early questions will have to sort themselves out quickly. [Read more 🡒]