Aaron Judge is OFF the Yankees’ Wild Card roster. Giancarlo Stanton is ON it. Yeah, that calls for an Injury Territory Emergency Pod.

Will Carroll and Edward Egros break down the Yankees’ decision to leave Aaron Judge off the roster despite his push to return, while Giancarlo Stanton gets the green light for the opening round. But this isn’t simply a question of which injured superstar is healthier. It changes almost everything about how New York can construct its lineup.

Who plays where? How much can Stanton realistically give the Yankees defensively? What combinations become possible without Judge on the roster—and which players suddenly become much more important? Will and Edward work through the permutations and what the decision tells us about where Judge actually is in his recovery.

Then there’s the team on the other side. Yankees–Red Sox rarely needs help generating drama, but this series has fascinating injury and matchup implications before the first pitch is even thrown. We look at Peyton Tolle in Game One, how his stuff matches up against this version of the Yankees lineup, and how Boston’s pitching options could shape the series beyond the opener.

October baseball is about stars, but it’s also about exploiting tiny advantages over a very short series. Without Judge—and with Stanton back—the strengths and weaknesses of this matchup have changed.

Start your FOX One 3-day Free trial today at FOXOne.com

Kalshi - kalshi.com/r/BASEBALL Deposit and place at least $25 in total trades using code BASEBALL to unlock $55 reward. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.