New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge will miss the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays after the team left him off the 26-man roster for the second consecutive postseason round.

“I decided that keeping him off was the best thing,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters hours before Game 1 on Saturday. “I feel like he's getting close, but I feel like for us to get a version of Aaron back and to win a World Series, I feel like this week's important for him to continue to work towards getting back.”

Boone added Judge was close to returning and that the team could have used him as a pinch-hitter for the first two games, but they felt another five to seven days of recovery/rehab would be more valuable.

The 34-year-old has not appeared in a game since Sept. 16, when he strained the soleus muscle in his right calf during his seventh game after returning from more than three months out with a fractured rib. He was placed on the injured list three days later and received a platelet-poor plasma injection before beginning baseball activities again.

The Yankees also kept Judge off their roster for their two-game wild-card sweep of the Boston Red Sox. New York outscored Boston 18-2 to advance to the ALDS.

Judge's activity increased throughout the week. He faced live pitching on Monday, ran in right field Tuesday, and took additional live batting practice on Wednesday with the team's Double-A affiliate in Somerset. He also hit at Yankee Stadium Thursday and participated in workouts on Friday, including batting practice with teammates at Tropicana Field. However, he did not run on the field there.

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Had the Yankees carried Judge, Boone indicated that his initial use could have been limited. The artificial turf at Tropicana Field was also a factor in the decision, according to Boone.

Instead, New York will begin the series with 11 pitchers and 15 position players. The only roster change from the wild-card round was Ryan Weathers replacing Amed Rosario. Giancarlo Stanton remains available as a pinch-hitter, although he did not record an at-bat against the Red Sox and has not played since April because of three separate calf strains.

Weathers, meanwhile, is expected to work as a one-inning reliever with restrictions and cannot pitch on consecutive days. The schedule includes an off day after both Games 1 and 2, which fits those limitations.

The Yankees are 54-43 without Judge this season. With Judge unavailable, New York will face Tampa Bay in Games 1 and 2 at Tropicana Field on Saturday and Monday before returning to Yankee Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Unless an injury replacement becomes necessary, Judge can only return this season if the Yankees defeat the Rays and advance to the AL Championship Series.