5 Reasons Why the Yankees Shouldn't Keep Aaron Judge off the ALDS Roster

If Aaron Judge is healthy enough to play, he should be out there.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge didn't play in the wild-card round, but could he be in the equation for the ALDS? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Yankees may have blown the doors off the Boston Red Sox without Aaron Judge, but that doesn't mean that they don't need their captain. For anyone who watched this team all year—or even the past few years—the best version of this team has Judge in the lineup.

Who knows what would've happened to the division this year if Judge were healthy, or, in the case of the 2023 season, their postseason chances if Dodger Stadium hadn't taken him out. The Texas Rangers won the World Series by coming out of the American League, but the Yankees took a series from them without Judge that summer.

Heading into the division series against Tampa Bay, the Yankees should activate him if he's healthy enough to play. Here are five reasons why.

Lineup protection

The Yankees' lineup outscored the Red Sox 18-2 in two games. It's hard to find a bigger mismatch in the postseason than that with the remaining teams.

As great as Ben Rice performed, imagine a world where a pitcher is staring at who is coming up, and the part of the lineup he has to navigate is Judge, Rice, and Cody Bellinger. They'll be extra careful and may be forced to pitch to these guys because, as Bellinger proved in Game 2, if you put runners on in front of him, he has a shot at taking a pitcher deep.

Still a homer threat even if he struggles

Judge struggled throughout the 2024 postseason. However, one of the memorable home runs during that series came off him, taking Emmanuel Clase deep. The Yankees still lost that game, but it showed that as long as Judge is in that lineup, he can change the complexion of any game.

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) looks on after New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) slugs a two-run home run in Game 3 of the 2024 ALCS. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

At that point, Clase was one of baseball's best closers. Judge still sent a triple-digit pitch into the seats.

Flexibility proved to be a little overrated in the Wild Card Series

Aaron Boone mixed and matched his roster a bit in the Wild Card Series, but not everyone performed despite the run parade. Amed Rosario and Heliot Ramos, specifically, provided next to nothing. Ramos is essentially Judge's replacement on the roster when the Yankees face lefties, and the southpaw Payton Tolle overpowered him in Game 1.

Judge may not have fared much better than Ramos, but there's a difference between a bench bat and a three-time MVP. Pitchers are looking at that matchup a little differently.

The best defensive roster has Judge in right field

Judge has a calf strain, and playing on it could be detrimental. But if a doctor says he's healthy enough to get out there, he should be in right field. With Judge in the outfield, that opens up the DH slot so Ben Rice and Luis Garcia Jr. can play at the same time. The best Yankee lineup has those three in there at the same time.

If New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (left) is activated for the AL Division Series, it could help the team's offensive flexibility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No "what ifs"

The 2026 season has been one big "What if?" What if the Yankees were healthy? What if the rotation didn't deal with as many IL stints as it did? What if Judge stayed on the field?

There's no remedying what happened in the regular season, but if Judge is healthy and can go up against the Rays, the Yankees can put a lot of those questions to rest — especially if they beat Tampa with Judge's help.

Anyone who thought the Yankees would have won the AL East if Judge had stayed on the field would be somewhat redeemed. Granted, the stakes are a little higher than what happens between April and September.

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