Red Sox vs Yankees: Why is Aaron Judge Not Playing Tonight?

Aaron Judge will miss the New York Yankees’ Wild Card opener against the Boston Red Sox.

by Ayomide Adeduyite

Sep 29, 2026

Aaron Judge will miss the New York Yankees’ Wild Card opener against the Boston Red Sox.

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge is not playing against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night as the New York Yankees begin their American League Wild Card series at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees left their captain off the 26-man roster for the best-of-three series after he missed the final 10 games of the regular season with a strained right calf. Judge had been pushing to return in time for Game 1 and took live batting practice Monday in an effort to convince manager Aaron Boone and the medical staff he was ready.

Judge ultimately was not cleared, ending his chance to play against Boston in the opening round. The decision came despite his progress in recent days and his own belief that he could contribute.

Why is Aaron Judge Not Playing vs. Red Sox?

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99)

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Judge suffered the right calf injury on Sept. 16 against the Minnesota Twins, only seven games after returning from a fractured right rib that had kept him out for more than three months.

The calf strain was later described by Boone as a moderate-grade injury involving the soleus muscle.

Judge received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the calf on Sept. 21 and continued working toward a postseason return. He participated in live batting practice Monday, walking twice, grounding out and striking out against Yankees pitchers, but he did not run the bases.

Boone said Tuesday that Judge had made significant progress but was “not quite there yet” to be an option for the Wild Card Series. The Yankees instead included Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham on the roster.

When Could Aaron Judge Return?

Judge’s next opportunity could come in the American League Division Series if the Yankees advance past Boston. MLB postseason rules allow teams to submit a new 26-man roster for each round, and Judge remains eligible for the postseason.

The Yankees would first need to advance from the Wild Card Series. If they do, Judge can continue his rehabilitation with the possibility of joining the roster for the next round.

The three-time AL MVP finished a shortened 2026 season with a .241 batting average, 18 home runs, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 66 games. He hit .174 with one homer and three RBIs in seven games after returning from the rib injury.

In the meantime, Judge will continue rehabbing while the Yankees begin their postseason run without their captain. Boone said the club will see whether Judge can continue moving forward over the next several days.