Aaron Judge not in Yankees lineup for first time this season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Yankees gave their captain a break for Thursday’s series finale in Kansas City, marking his first day out of the lineup in 2025. Seth Lugo is on the mound for the Royals, and Judge’s history against him isn’t exactly glowing.

With the Yankees in the early stages of a stretch of 16 straight games, Boone decided a week ago Thursday would be the right day to give Judge his first day off this season after the rightfielder started the first 66 games, the only Yankee to do so.

With the ALDS tied at one game apiece, the score of Game 3 was tied entering the eighth inning at KC; the Yanks went on to win 3-2, then won 3-1 in Game 4, before facing Cleveland (another AL Central club) in the AL Championship Series.