Judge Out, Stanton In for Yankees-Red Sox Series

The Yankees chose not to put Aaron Judge on the roster to avoid aggravating his calf injury, a decision aimed at safeguarding his health.

If Judge were to reinjure himself during this series, he would be unavailable for the division series against the Rays, emphasizing the team's prioritization of his availability for future rounds of the postseason.

Giancarlo Stanton has not played in a major league game since April 24th, making his inclusion a significant surprise.

The team intends to use him as a pinch-hitting option against left-handed pitchers in a short series, a strategy that draws comparisons to the unexpected inclusion of Rowdy Tellez on the Braves' roster.

The Yankees adopted a 26-man roster consisting of 10 pitchers and 16 position players, a common strategy for short playoff series.

This approach allows teams to carry more bench players and bullpen arms without the regular-season pitcher restrictions, and rosters are expected to change for subsequent rounds based on specific series needs.

Garrett Crochet hasn't pitched in a big league game since April 25th, missing nearly half the season, which parallels Stanton's long-term inactivity.

His usage out of the bullpen is a familiar role for him, as he pitched in relief for the White Sox in 2020 and 2021 before his injury.

Garrett Crochet can prepare via bullpens and simulated games without needing five-inning stamina, making his return less challenging.

Giancarlo Stanton's return is more difficult because he has lacked live at-bats since April, while the team plans to use Crochet for specific situations against left-handed batters like Rice, Bellinger, and Austin Wells.

Crochet expresses confidence in being 'built different' and capable of doing 'special things' as a pitcher, reflecting the unique mental approach in pitching.

Pitchers can regulate their effort levels and strategy, unlike hitters who are reactive to the pitcher's delivery, which is relevant given Giancarlo Stanton's past inconsistency when lacking consistent at-bats, despite being productive when hot in the postseason.

The Yankees have a home-field advantage with their Traject machine access, which provides crucial training opportunities.

The Red Sox previously struggled against Cam Schlittler due to a lack of equivalent training resources, later utilizing the Rays' facility in St. Petersburg to practice against simulated fastballs before their series.

The Rays allowed the Red Sox to use their Traject machine during the recent weekend series, an unusual move between rivals.

Panelists jokingly compared this access to opposing teams' passcodes to the historical data breach incident involving the Cardinals and Astros, highlighting the sensitive nature of sharing such resources.