​Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesWhy ex-player believes Yankees are ‘in trouble’ ahead of playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Yankees are secure in their position as the second-best team in the American League during the regular season. They have been attempting to chase down the Tampa Bays for the majority of the season, but it seems clear that they will end up in second place in the American League East and have the top Wild Card spot in the American League playoff structure.Aaron Judge hits the IL for the Yankees, and @ChrisGimenez5 is hitting the panic button in the Bronx.🔗 https://t.co/iXax8hx4iOpic.twitter.com/tD0O3JdKhsWatch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) September 19, 2026The Yankees will almost certainly match up with the Boston Red Sox in the opening round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The best of 3 series will see the third-place Red Sox travel to Yankee Stadium once again for the matchup. That would seem to give the Yankees an advantage, but former big-league player Chris Gimenez says that the Yankees are a different team with Aaron Judge on the Injured List and that makes them vulnerable.“The Yankees went for weeks looking for their offense before Ben Rice got hot again and Cody Bellinger made key contributions,” Gimenez said, while speaking on the Loud Outs podcast. “They are a completely different team when Judge is in the lineup and if they don’t have him, their strong pitching is not necessarily going to make the difference. They need Judge or they are going to be in trouble.”Gimenez played 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, primarily as a utility player in the American League. He played four seasons with the Cleveland Guardians and his most productive season came in 2017 with the Minnesota Twins when he had 7 home runs and 16 RBI.Despite the warning from Gimenez, the Yankees have an 89-64 record and have won 8 of their last 10 games.Related: Who Yankees are promoting to MLB after placing Aaron Judge on ILRelated: Aaron Boone drops hugely discouraging Aaron Judge update after IL move