Big Yankees’ surprises for playoff roster? Here’s our bold predictions

By admin — In News — September 26, 2026

   ​NEW YORK — Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham were out on the field Thursday afternoon for early batting practice before the Yankees’ active players hit. Taking turns hitting off a high-velocity pitching machine, Stanton drove some balls to the gap and hit a few balls out while Grisham hit some ropes.Both looked healthy.Grisham hasn’t played for three weeks due to a right hamstring strain and Stanton has been sidelined since April 24 with right and left calf strains.Both want to be on the Wild Card Series roster and Game 1 for this Yankees-Red Sox best-of-three is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.Manager Aaron Boone has been saying Grisham and Stanton are trending in the right direction, so they are candidates to be part of a 26-man roster that will carry 14 or 15 position players.What about Aaron Judge? Will he get his way and return from his calf strain weeks before his MRI results indicate he should be back?The Yankees have a lot to figure out over the weekend and during Monday’s workout day.Here’s what we know and what we think in regards to how the roster could shake out:AARON JUDGEJudge isn’t a real-life Superman. The Yankees captain is big and strong, but he can’t fly and he’s not blessed with X-ray vision.Judge also doesn’t have any special healing powers. He has a moderate right calf sprain. That’s a Grade 2, a partial tear that should take six to eight weeks to recover.Judge says he’s feeling great and is willing to risk a complete tear by returning next week. That would be a six-month recovery.Admire his determination, but he’s not healthy and not ready to hit good pitching in playoff baseball. He hasn’t even been cleared to swing a bat or run.Judge wasn’t ready earlier this month when he rushed back from his fractured rib. He missed 84 games and was back playing less than three weeks after being cleared to hit, run and throw — without playing any rehab games. That’s what he wanted and everyone let him get his way because it was late in the season.Prediction: Judge returns Oct. 12 for Game 1 of the ALCS, if the Yankees get there.TRENT GRISHAMThe Yankees want to be sure Grisham is ready to come off the IL because he’s been sidelined since Sept. 5 after being out with the same injury from June 13 to July 3, right hamstring strain.I spoke to Grisham in front of the Yankees dugout after his BP session Thursday and he told me, “I’m ready to go.”I asked if he expected to be on the Wild Card Series roster.“Expectations are a funny thing,” he responded. “By Friday I would say I will be fully ready to be back and available to play.”Boone hinted Thursday that roster moves are coming this weekend and by night’s end two spots opened. After rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. hit a tiebreaking eighth-inning homer to lift the Yankees to a 6-4 comeback win over the Rays, relievers Luis Gil and Bradley Hanner were optioned.With Saturday’s game moved to Friday as part of a doubleheader due to incoming  

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