The clock is ticking. Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees have little time left before sending in the roster to face the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card round of the 2026 MLB Postseason. Although the latest injury update around Aaron Judge is encouraging, uncertainty remains the name of the game and it’s looming all over The Bronx, affecting Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham, and Ryan Weathers.
“Aaron Judge did some hitting in the cage [on Sunday]. Boone said he’s ‘making progress’. No determination if he’ll be on the roster,” as reported by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “We’ll listen to the trainers and medical, and see where we’re at,” Boone admitted.
Considering Boone’s latest update on Judge hadn’t been great news for the Yankees, the fact that there is still room for hope that he will be active in the Wild Card Series (best-of-three) against the Red Sox should be taken as a small win and a step in the right direction for the Bronx Bombers.
It remains to be seen how Judge might return after his stint on the 10-day injured list (IL) with a calf strain, only days removed from his 60-day IL stint with a stress fracture in his first right rib, which cost him over three months of inactivity in the 2026 MLB season.
Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees looks on before the game.
Boone faces litmus test in AL Wild Card
Playing the entire Wild Card Series at home is an advantage for the Yankees, but it could become a burden for Boone. If New York loses the series to Boston, fans will make themselves heard, and whatever decision Boone makes on Judge, whether he plays or sits, will come with its own backlash.
The smart decision may not be the right one, and which option is correct will only be determined based on how the Yankees fare in a best-of-three series against their despised foes from Massachusetts. To add to the drama, Judge isn’t the only player making progress and, as a result, putting Boone in a tough spot.
Uncertainty around Stanton, Grisham, and Weathers
Although Stanton’s return for the 2026 postseason was always considered a longshot, recent progress gave fans hope. For the time being, however, the odds remain against the veteran designated hitter, whose activation off IL would force Boone to make a decision on Ben Rice, as well.
“Aaron Boone said they haven’t decided if Giancarlo Stanton will be on the wild card roster yet,” according to Chris Kirschner.
Similar scenarios surround Grisham (10-day IL with a hamstring injury) and Weathers (15-day IL with a forearm injury). “Trent Grisham is ‘very much in play’ to make the roster. Ryan Weathers will potentially throw today before a call is made on him being on the roster,” Kirschner’s reports concluded.
Boone can’t afford an early elimination
While the front office is still behind him, Boone is walking on thin ice with the fanbase in The Bronx, and he may not be able to survive an early playoff exit at the hands of the Red Sox.
Some might say the Yankees aren’t truly in a World-Series-or-bust situation, but that’s always the end goal for the Pinstripers. In The Bronx, baseball seasons only matter in October, and Boone’s future in New York could be decided in the biggest month of the year.
Key takeaways
- Aaron Judge hit in the cage on Sunday while recovering from a calf strain.
- Boone remains undecided on including Giancarlo Stanton on the Wild Card roster.
- Trent Grisham is in play for the roster despite a hamstring injury.
