Aaron Boone explains why leaving Aaron Judge off ALDS roster was right decision

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla.

— There were times on Friday, Aaron Boone admitted, when he thought that Aaron Judge was going to be on the Yankees’ ALDS roster.In all likelihood, it would have been just as a pinch hitter, possibly with a chance to be a full player later in the best-of-five series against the Rays if his right calf allowed.That was all part of the discussion when Boone sat down with Judge and director of sports medicine and rehab Mike Schuck in his office at Tropicana Field after Friday’s workout.

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.The manager then asked for an hour to think it through even more before ultimately coming to the decision to leave Judge off the roster for the second straight round.“In the end, I just feel like he’s not quite ready to do it,” Boone said Saturday in that same office before Game 1 of the ALDS.

“He wanted to be on and was willing to do anything, but I just felt like for us to win a World Series – and fully acknowledging with him, and I understand this, obviously there’s no guarantees.We could be home in a week. “But for us to potentially have a [good] version of Aaron back, I feel like he needs this week to continue to hit, continue to ramp up the running and moving and all those things.

So it was very close for me … but I just felt like this was the right decision.”Judge, who has been doing everything in his power in the 17 days since he strained the right calf to get back as soon as possible, took the news “OK.”“I think he’s disappointed, because I think he wants to be on, but I think he understands, too,” Boone saidAnd so the three-time MVP was back at George M.Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training home in Tampa, on Saturday morning to continue his buildup in hopes of joining the Yankees for the ALCS if they can get there without him.Judge has taken multiple rounds of live b...