ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- For the second straight round, Aaron Judge is not on the New York Yankees' roster for the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays due to a right calf strain. The Yankees announced a 26-player roster Saturday, including Giancarlo Stanton and left-hander Ryan Weathers, while replacing utility man Amed Rosario with Weathers. New York will carry 11 pitchers and 15 position players heading into Game 1 at Tropicana Field.
Stanton, who has not played since April due to multiple calf strains, will serve as a pinch-hitter option. "I'm ready to go," Stanton said Friday. "I'm ready to help the team in any way I can."
Weathers, sidelined since Aug. 22 with a forearm flexor strain, joins the bullpen as a one-inning reliever with restrictions, including not being cleared to pitch on consecutive days. The schedule provides favorable usage windows with off days following Games 1 and 2.
Judge last played on Sept. 16, straining his right calf during his seventh game back from a fractured rib. He received a platelet-poor plasma injection and resumed baseball activities as the regular season ended. Despite facing live pitching Monday and participating in workouts Friday, team officials informed him the night before roster submission that he would not be included. The Yankees, 54-43 without Judge this season, must defeat the Rays to advance to the ALCS for Judge to potentially return.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing