PHOENIX, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 19: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during sixth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 19, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees were swept in the American League Division Series by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay was the winner of the American League East, beating the second place Yankees by 4.5 games.
Yankees slugger, Aaron Judge was inactive on Yankees postseason rosters during their American League Wild Card Series, and the Division Series.
As noted by mlb.com, “Judge has made his position clear—he wants to be part of everything that transpires this month. However, Judge’s strained right calf has not healed enough for him to claim a spot on the 26-man roster…”
Without Judge, the Yankees offense was more a popgun, than a howitzer.
Simply put, the Yankees couldn’t win a big series without their three-time All Star Most Valuable Player in the lineup. They are not the same team without Aaron Judge.
The postseason illustrated the value of Aaron Judge to the Yankees.
But Judge can’t do it by himself.
Unfortunately, the Yankees were used to playing without their great slugger.
Judge was impacted by nagging injuries all season, as he played only 66 of 162 available games. Not withstanding the 2020 COVID shortened season, it was the fewest games Judge ever played in a season.
Even with that reduced game participation, Judge still smoked 10 doubles, 18 home runs, and drove in 41 runs in 285 plate appearances.
Remove any highly consequential player from a team’s lineup, and eventually, that player’s absence will be felt.
That was the case with the Yankees and Judge.
New York Yankees Postseason:
The Yankees were successful in an American League Wild Card Series, sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the best-of-three.
Part of the explanation for the Red Sox loss was illustrated by sports.yahoo when they said, “Overall the Red Sox lineup had just 10 base runners in the series compared to 34 for New York.”
New York Yankees Ben Rice Stepped Up:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 23: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees celebrates hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
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A talented slugger, left-handed hitting designated hitter/first baseman Ben Rice did his best to turbo charge the Yankees offense.
Rice, 27, and in the prime of his career, may be one of the most underrated players in the game.
In the two playoff series, Rice hit four home runs. Two came against the Red Sox in Game 1, and two came against the Rays in Game 2 of the three game series.
Rice drove in nine runs in the five games, with six of those coming in Game 1 of the Red Sox Wild Card Series.
The Yankees hit a total of six home runs in the Wild Card and Division Series combined.
Luis Garcia Jr. hit one. Cody Bellinger hit one. And Rice hit four.
A total of five homers were hit against Yankees pitchers in the Wild Card and Division Series combined.
They included one each by Willson Contreras and Nick Sogard of the Red Sox, and one each by Jonathan Aranda, Ryan Village, and Victor Mesa Jr. of the Rays.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – OCTOBER 03: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees speaks to the media prior to Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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New York Yankees Fans React:
Without a doubt, Yankees fans are angry at their early postseason departure.
In a story from The Spun related by sports.yahoo.com, “New York Yankees fans claim they are “done” supporting the franchise following this season’s sweep in the American League Division Series.”
The story reminded readers that the Yankees last won a World Series in 2009, and “Yankees fans have been frustrated by the fact that Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman have kept their jobs for years…”
New York Yankees Defense Contributed To Their Division Loss:
It wasn’t only the lack of Aaron Judge in the lineup, and the mediocre hitting that spelled trouble for New York in the Division Series.
As that nbcnews.com pointed out in a headline, “Yankees made 4 errors in sloppy loss to Rays, ball behind 2-0 in ALDS.”
After Game 2, the nbcnews .com article stated, “Sloppy defense put the New York Yankees on the brink of elimination.”
And…they were eliminated.
Now, the Yankees players head for the golf course, or wherever they spend the winter.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 03: The American League Division Series logo is seen before game one of the American League Division Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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The Yankees were swept in the American League Division Series by the surging Tampa Bay Rays.
And frankly, the winter could be ugly in the Bronx.
The Yankees sorely missed their game-changing All Star MLP slugger, Aaron Judge.
The New York Yankees simply are not anything close to the same team without Mr. Judge.
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