The Yankees are headed into the postseason without Aaron Judge for the Wild Card series, and that’s the harsh reality Aaron Boone laid out Tuesday before the doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, 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. If there’s a return at all, Boone indicated it would come in the ALDS or later.
That’s a major blow for New York, especially with Judge’s latest setback coming after a season already interrupted by a long absence. He missed most of 2026 from the start of June until late August, came back briefly, and then landed back on the IL with a calf strain.
Now the Yankees are looking at a Wild Card round without their best player. The most likely opponent is the Boston Red Sox, with the Tampa Bay Rays on the verge of taking the AL East and the third Wild Card spot trailing well behind New York and Boston. That means the opening round would likely be a home series for the Yankees against their AL East rival.
There is some good news for New York elsewhere on the roster. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is coming back, and the Yankees are expected to have the likely Cy Young winner in Cam Schlittler on the mound. But none of that changes the biggest storyline: Judge won’t be there for the first playoff series.
The concern doesn’t stop with the Wild Card round, either. Boone’s update leaves his status beyond that uncertain, and Judge’s own return from the IL wasn’t especially smooth. He struggled a bit after that long layoff, and now another injury has knocked him back out again.
For the Yankees, the path forward may now require a deep playoff run without Judge, with the ALDS, ALCS, and even the World Series still very much up in the air.
In Other News...
Lightning Bubble Players Enter A Crucial Stretch Before Florida Showdown
The Lightnings preseason trip through Nashville offered a reminder that the roster picture is still very much in flux, even after an overtime loss to the Predators. Jeffrey Viel accounted for both Tampa Bay goals, but the bigger takeaway for the staff came off the ice, where the club began trimming its camp and narrowing the competition as the calendar turns toward the final exhibition slate.
There is still plenty of sorting to do before Florida becomes the next checkpoint, with more than a full camps worth of bodies still in the mix and some tough decisions looming at every position. For players on the bubble, this is the part of September that can define whether they are staying in the room or heading back to junior, and the Lightning will keep using the remaining dress rehearsals to separate the hopefuls from the survivors. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Preseason Is Already Raising One Big Roster Question
The preseason has only just started, but Tampa Bay has already gotten a useful look at some fresh faces. After splitting two games with Nashville, the Lightning have seen early signs from newcomers John Carlson, Ilya Mikheyev and Jeffery Viel, while prospect Sam O'Reilly has also flashed enough to stand out in a group that is still sorting itself out. With the roster still in evaluation mode, those first impressions matter, especially for a team trying to blend experience with younger depth.
Conor Geekie has been part of that conversation too, even if his value has shown up in different ways from night to night. He delivered the game-winner in the opener and then handled himself well in the faceoff circle in the rematch, a reminder that preseason for a player like him is about more than just scoring chances. The next test comes against Florida in a back-to-back series, and with roles still up for grabs, these games should sharpen the competition even more. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Just Made A Clear Goalie Decision Behind Vasilevskiy
The Lightning have moved to settle one of their more practical preseason questions behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, placing Jonas Johansson on waivers and clearing the runway for a new backup plan. It is the latest sign that Tampa Bay is sorting out its goaltending depth with the regular season closing in, and it leaves Dennis Hildeby in position to occupy the No. 2 job behind the franchise centerpiece.
General manager Julien BriseBois said the club is working with Johansson and his agent to find the best landing spot, which gives this a familiar early-season feel for a team that has to balance roster decisions with player opportunity. If Johansson clears waivers, Syracuse is the obvious fallback, but that could create a crowded situation in the AHL and keep this storyline from resolving quickly. [Read more 🡒]