PHOENIX -- Cans of beer were emptied over Aaron Judge’s head as the Yankees' captain stood in the center of the visiting clubhouse at Target Field last week, surrounded by joyous teammates celebrating the club’s entry into the postseason.
Judge squinted, his eyes burning, and warned his teammates: “I’m going to get you back.”
It was a familiar scene for the Yankees, reaching the postseason for the eighth time in nine years, but the landscape changed quickly with Judge’s right calf strain.
Even so, it is not the final celebration they plan to host, with a firm grasp on the top American League Wild Card spot and the AL East title still in play.
“It’s always a good thing when you can celebrate those moments in a season,” manager Aaron Boone said. “A lot of people pour a lot of time, effort and sweat. Obviously, it’s just the first step of what we hope is many.”
Now that they’ve reached the postseason, what else is in store for the Yankees?
What could the postseason roster look like?
C: Austin Wells, Ali Sánchez
1B: Luis García Jr., Paul Goldschmidt
2B: Jazz Chisholm Jr.
3B: Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario
SS: George Lombard Jr., José Caballero
OF: Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Spencer Jones, Heliot Ramos
DH: Ben Rice
SP: Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, Max Fried
RP: David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick, Tim Hill, Clarke Schmidt, Michael Fulmer, John Schreiber, Will Warren, Carlos Rodón
The Yankees went with 12 pitchers and 14 batters when they hosted the Red Sox in last year’s AL Wild Card Series, so we will operate under that assumption again in 2026.
Cole is scheduled to pitch Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay, with Schlittler on Thursday. Looking ahead, that suggests Cole would have one extra day of rest before Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, while Schlittler would be on regular rest.
It’s possible the Yankees are lining up Cole to start Game 1, with Schlittler in Game 2. Thus far, they’ve declined to say much on the topic, except for Boone’s confirmation that Cole will draw a start in the AL Wild Card Series.
Rodón could be in the bullpen for the series; on our roster, we have him active, with Luis Gil and Ryan Yarbrough among those left off. Ryan Weathers is working to come back as a reliever, but time isn’t on his side. If healthy, he could bump Fulmer or Schreiber.
Chisholm expects to be back from a sprained right thumb by the Rays series this week, while Grisham has shown improvement and could grab an outfield spot. If not, Max Schuemann is in the mix. One other item to watch: Could the Yanks carry Anthony Volpe instead of Rosario? It’s worth considering.
When does the postseason begin?
Should the Yankees wind up in the AL Wild Card Series, it would begin on Sept. 29. The AL Division Series begins on Oct. 3.
Who would the Yankees play if the season ended today?
At present, it would be an exact rematch of last year’s AL Wild Card Series, with the Yankees hosting the Red Sox in the Bronx. The Yankees won that series, two games to one.
This year, the Yankees were 7-6 against Boston.
Can they still win the American League East?
Yes, but they have an uphill climb ahead. The Yankees have four head-to-head games on deck beginning Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, including a separate-admission doubleheader to begin the series. Tampa Bay currently leads the season series, 6-3, which means the Yankees would need to sweep to take the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Who would start Game 1 for the Yankees?
As previously noted, Cole is scheduled to pitch Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay, with Schlittler the next day. Thus, Cole would have one extra day of rest before Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, while Schlittler would be on regular rest.
Having surrendered seven homers in his previous two starts, Cole quieted outside questions about a potential playoff start with a solid effort at Arizona. Fried and Rodón have dealt with injuries but are rounding into form at the right time.
Warren will draw one more start during the Orioles series, according to Boone, but he will enter the playoffs as an interesting relief choice.
Will Judge be a playoff factor?
The Yankees have been vague about Judge’s status, with Boone declining to provide an estimated timetable for his recovery or even the grade of his right calf strain. Generally speaking, even a Grade 1 strain (the least significant) requires two to three weeks for a full recovery.
Judge will almost certainly push to be back sooner than that. The earliest possible date he could be activated would be Game 162 on Sept. 27. As the landscape stands now, there’s a very real possibility that the Yankees will be without Judge for at least a potential AL Wild Card Series.
For what it’s worth, Judge said he would “like” to be active for the postseason and that it is “the plan” – but he didn’t necessarily say Sept. 29.
What are the other health concerns?
Grisham has been moving deeper into his running progression and should be available for the playoff roster, though Boone said he won’t be activated before the end of the regular season. Chisholm has been hitting and throwing and should be activated during the Rays series; if he has any setbacks, Volpe would figure into the picture.
And while the Yankees haven’t closed the door on Giancarlo Stanton, who has been hitting, there have been few updates provided in his recovery from his most recent calf strain.