The New York Yankees will soon reveal whether Aaron Judge has made the team’s playoff roster for the Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox. Prior to the decision, Judge and Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s disagreement over his status played out publicly as New York prepared for the postseason.
Judge insists he is ready to play in the Wild Card series, while Boone does not seem convinced. The slugger is also receiving a warning from a Yankees legend.
CC Sabathia expressed concern that Judge is attempting to come back from a calf injury too quickly. The former Yankees star fears Judge could risk further damage in an attempt to play in MLB playoffs.
“I absolutely understand his mindset,’’ Sabathia told New York Post’s Dan Martin during a September 24, 2026, interview. “He wants to get back for the guys. You feel like you owe that to the guys. But I would want him to be careful.”
“Even with as much praise as I get for pitching till my arm fell off, I still needed my knee replaced at 46 and my shoulder reconstructed.”
Here’s what you need to know about Judge ahead of the Red Sox-Yankees series.
Aaron Judge Is Looking to Convince Yankees to be Included on Playoff Roster vs. Red Sox
Ahead of the roster deadline, Judge admitted to doing some “convincing” when it comes to his postseason status. The Yankees face a decision on both Judge and Giancarlo Stanton who are both returning from injuries.
“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, I feel like, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge noted, per Boston.com.
“The most important thing is just making sure I’m healthy and ready to go for this long stretch. We’ve got another month of baseball to play.”
Aaron Judge His With Warning on Playing in MLB Playoffs by Yankees Legend CC Sabathia
Sabathia understands Judge’s dilemma but the Yankees legend admits his perspective has changed since retiring.
“But I had to think about it right now (if he would play through injury),” Sabathia added. “There was no question at the time. You just do it.
“But now, I think about everything I’m going through physically, and I’m not even 50.”
Yankees Consider Not Including Aaron Judge on Wild Card Roster vs. Red Sox
For Judge, the star has been outspoken about his status, because he believes his career window is short. The slugger has no problem assuming the risk of playing against the Red Sox.
“The biggest thing is just understanding how short I get,” Judge noted, per Boston.com. “The time I get to be a Yankee and play this game of baseball is a very short window.
“Ten years have gone by since I debuted out here. Time flies and I just think about that more than thinking about age,” Judge added.
“I feel like I’ll still be a good baseball player at 45. So, yeah, it’s more just, your window to play this game is short so you don’t want to miss an opportunity.”
Aaron Judge Hit With Ominous Warning Before Red Sox-Yankees Playoff Series