Aaron Judge has not played since mid-September. Now that the New York Yankees have gotten past the Boston Red Sox, they are going to need him at Tropicana Field on Saturday, against the best team in the American League.
The Rays went 98-64 and beat out the Yankees for the AL East and the No. 1 seed. They went 55-26 at the Trop. The Yankees went 2-5 there this season.
Judge's right calf strain kept him off the wild-card roster. He has said he wants to play this postseason, but even if he does, he might not be at full speed. The concrete floor at the Trop isn't going to do him any favors, either.
The Yankees and Rays have met in October only once. In 2020, in a pandemic bubble where they played in San Diego's Petco Park, Mike Brosseau homered off
Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning of Game 5, and the Rays won 2-1. A month earlier, Chapman had been suspended for throwing at Brosseau's head.
When does the Yankees vs Rays ALDS start?
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field (TBS, truTV, HBO Max)
- Game 2: Monday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field, TV TBA
- Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Yankee Stadium, Time and TV TBA
- Game 4, if needed: Thursday, Oct. 8 at Yankee Stadium, Time and TV TBA
- Game 5, if needed: Saturday, Oct. 10 at Tropicana Field, Time and TV TBA
How did the Yankees do against the Rays in 2026?
The Rays won the season series 7-6. Location mattered in the series.
Tampa Bay went 5-2 at the Trop. Three of those wins came in April by one or two runs, including one in 10 innings. In July, Shane McClanahan shut out the Yankees 3-0.
The Yankees went 4-2 in the Bronx. In September, Carlos Rodon won 2-0, and Gerrit Cole won 9-2.
Cam Schlittler made two starts at the Trop. He lost 5-4 in April and won 5-1 in July.
What will decide Yankees vs Rays?
The Trop: The Yankees have struggled there historically and the Rays have homefield advantage.
Cam Schlittler: The AL Cy Young favorite has a 1.95 ERA.
Aaron Judge: Even if he plays, a calf strain could slow him down, especially at the Trop.
The Rays' bats: Tampa Bay has lost seven straight playoff games and scored two runs in its last four. That's a lot of pressure on Junior Caminero in his second postseason appearance.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who do the Yankees play next in MLB playoffs? What to know about their ALDS opponent
