Aaron Judge isn’t on Yankees’ ALDS roster. What would his role have been if he was?

Aaron Judge's absence from the Yankees' American League Division Series (ALDS) roster has left fans and analysts pondering the role he could have played had he been carried. Manager Aaron Boone made the difficult decision to leave Judge off the 26-man roster for the second consecutive postseason round, citing the need for additional recovery and rehabilitation time.

If Judge had been on the roster, Boone suggested that he might have been utilized as a pinch-hitter in the first two games of the series. However, the team felt that another five to seven days of further recovery would be more beneficial for the 34-year-old slugger. Judge's return has been gradual, with him facing live pitching on Monday, running in right field on Tuesday, and participating in batting practice with the team's Double-A affiliate on Wednesday.

The decision to leave Judge off the roster was not solely based on his injury. The artificial turf at Tropicana Field, where the ALDS will be played, posed a challenge for the team. Boone noted that the synthetic surface may have factored into the decision as well.

With Judge sidelined, the Yankees will field an 11-pitcher, 15-position player roster for the ALDS. The only roster change from the wild-card round was the replacement of Amed Rosario with Ryan Weathers. Stanton remains available as a pinch-hitter, but he has been sidelined by calf strains since April.

The Yankees' performance without Judge this season has been a significant 54-43 record. If the team advances past the ALDS, Judge's return will be contingent upon them defeating the Rays and progressing to the AL Championship Series.