Overview
- Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Aaron Judge has a moderate right calf strain, received a platelet-poor plasma injection, and is being planned as unavailable for the upcoming Wild Card Series.
- The Yankees have clinched a postseason spot and are overwhelmingly likely to host the Boston Red Sox in the best-of-three Wild Card round next week.
- Tampa Bay can clinch the AL East and the American League’s No. 1 seed with one win in the four-game series at Yankee Stadium, a scenario that makes New York’s remaining regular-season games consequential for seeding.
- Boone must finalize high-pressure lineup and infield deployments among George Lombard Jr., Anthony Volpe, José Caballero, Amed Rosario and Ryan McMahon, and may activate Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the injured list to help cover Judge’s absence.
- New York will rely heavily on its starting rotation and core relievers — Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar — and is managing workload and rest to compensate for the offensive uncertainty.