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“MLB Needs to See Its Best Players”: Rays Manager Breaks Silence as Yankees Exclude Aaron Judge Yet Again

After being dropped from the Wild Card roster for the Yankees, fans expected Aaron Judge to be in for the ALDS against the Rays. The Yankees instead selected Giancarlo Stanton for the ALDS roster, keeping Judge’s injury in mind. But…

By Karthik Sri Hari KC · Essentially Sports

Published: Saturday, 3 October 2026 at 8:59 PM

Key Things to Know

Rays manager Kevin Cash stated MLB needs its best players after the Yankees excluded injured Aaron Judge from the ALDS.
The New York Yankees selected Giancarlo Stanton for the ALDS roster while keeping Aaron Judge sidelined.
Kevin Cash acknowledged that avoiding Judge in the lineup serves as a major tactical benefit for Tampa Bay.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash expressed disappointment over Aaron Judge being left off the New York Yankees' ALDS roster due to injury. Speaking ahead of the series, Cash emphasized that Major League Baseball needs its top stars competing on such stages, though he acknowledged Judge's absence provides a clear competitive advantage for Tampa Bay.

The Yankees chose Giancarlo Stanton for the ALDS roster instead of Judge, who also missed the Wild Card round. Cash noted that avoiding Judge's bat is a major tactical benefit, as Judge has recorded 27 career home runs and an .814 OPS against the Rays.

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