Aaron Judge Left Off Yankees' ALDS Roster Against Rays

Aaron Judge is not on the New York Yankees' 26-man roster for the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking the second straight postseason round the slugger has missed because of a right calf strain, according to ESPN.

Why isn't Judge playing in the ALDS?

ESPN reports Judge is dealing with a right calf strain that also kept him off the Yankees' wild-card roster against the Boston Red Sox. The outlet does not specify a timetable for his return, and no additional medical detail was provided in the report.

What did the Yankees change on their roster?

The Yankees made one swap from their wild-card roster: left-hander Ryan Weathers replaces utility man Amed Rosario, per ESPN. The club is carrying 11 pitchers and 15 position players. New York had until 10 a.m. Saturday to submit the roster ahead of Game 1, scheduled for 6:38 p.m. at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Who is on the roster instead of Judge?

Giancarlo Stanton and left-hander Ryan Weathers both made the 26-man group, ESPN reports. Stanton has not appeared in a game since April because of three separate calf strains but was used as a pinch hitter in the wild-card round against Boston, going hitless in two games without recording an at-bat. He is expected to remain a pinch-hit option in the ALDS.

"I'm ready to go," Stanton said Friday, according to ESPN. "I'm ready to help the team in any way I can."

When does the Yankees-Rays series start?

Game 1 is set for 6:38 p.m. Saturday at Tropicana Field, ESPN reports. The series marks New York's second straight round without Judge, who was also sidelined for the wild-card matchup against Boston.

What should fans watch for in this series?

• Whether Judge is activated for a potential ALCS round if the calf strain clears.
• How often the Yankees deploy Stanton as a pinch-hit threat given his limited game action since April.
• Workload for Ryan Weathers out of the bullpen in Judge's and Rosario's absence.
• Any in-game status updates on Judge from the Yankees' medical staff as the series progresses.

ESPN's report does not address when Judge might resume baseball activities or whether the Yankees consider his absence a short-term precaution tied to the calf strain. The outlet's dispatch, filed from St. Petersburg, focuses on the roster mechanics rather than a specific recovery timeline, so the central outstanding question for the Yankees is whether their leading power threat can return for a later round.