THE JACKED LIST 9/29: MLB PLAYOFF EDITION
The playoffs haven’t even started yet and players are already getting left off rosters.
Perfect.
Welcome to the MLB Playoff edition of The Jacked List.
VERY JACKED: AARON JUDGE — YANKEES
Injury: Right calf strain
The Yankees are playing the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series.
Aaron Judge will not be playing.
New York officially left Judge off its 26-man Wild Card roster as he continues recovering from the calf strain he suffered September 16.
Judge took batting practice.
He wanted to play.
The Yankees said no.
Probably smart.
Still Jacked.
And against Boston?
Extra Jacked.
The hope is that he can return if New York reaches the Division Series.
JACKED: LUIS ARRAEZ — PHILLIES
Injury: Left ankle sprain
Philadelphia will face Atlanta without Luis Arraez.
Arraez sprained his ankle late in the regular season and has been left off the Phillies’ Wild Card roster.
He hit .310 this year and missed the batting title by one point.
Then immediately missed the Wild Card round.
That’s a pretty unpleasant week.
UNJACKED: GIANCARLO STANTON — YANKEES
Stanton has been dealing with a left calf strain.
Unlike Judge, he made the Wild Card roster.
For New York, that’s about as encouraging as the injury news gets.
UNJACKED: TRENT GRISHAM — YANKEES
Grisham has been dealing with a right hamstring strain but is also expected to be on the Yankees’ Wild Card roster.
Judge out.
Grisham and Stanton in.
Baseball rosters in October get weird quickly.
UNJACKED: GARRETT CROCHET — RED SOX
Injury: Left shoulder
Crochet has been out since April.
He’s back for the playoffs.
Boston is carrying him on the Wild Card roster, where he’s expected to be available out of the bullpen.
Going from not pitching since April to Yankees-Red Sox playoff baseball is one hell of a way to come back.
Very Unjacked.
JACKED: MICKEY GASPER — RED SOX
Injury: Right biceps
Gasper suffered what Boston described as a significant biceps injury late in the regular season.
The injury could keep him out for the entire postseason.
That’s Jacked.
JACKED: TYRON GUERRERO — RED SOX
Injury: Right shoulder strain
Guerrero was placed on the injured list September 27 and is considered unlikely to return this season.
Boston gets Crochet back.
Loses Guerrero.
October roster math.
STILL JACKED, BUT MAYBE LESS JACKED: KEVIN GAUSMAN — CUBS
Injury: Left shoulder soreness
This is important for the Padres series.
Gausman injured his non-throwing shoulder late in the regular season.
He threw a successful bullpen session on September 27, and the Cubs are monitoring him to determine whether he can be available during the Wild Card Series.
So he’s not officially cleared yet.
But he’s not automatically out either.
For Padres fans, this is one worth watching.
JACKED: JUSTIN STEELE — CUBS
Injury: Left elbow flexor strain
Steele remains on the injured list.
The Cubs are keeping him ready in case he’s able to return later in the postseason.
Not available now.
Maybe available later.
Jacked for the Wild Card round.
JACKED: THE CUBS’ PITCHING DEPTH
Chicago spent much of the season cycling pitchers through the rotation.
Now Gausman’s status is uncertain and Steele remains on the injured list.
And tonight they’re walking into Petco Park for a best-of-three against a Padres team that finished the season on fire.
Not ideal.
JACKED: DAULTON VARSHO — ASTROS
Injury: Left wrist
Varsho has been playing through cysts in his left wrist for months.
Eventually the pain became too much.
Houston placed him on the injured list, and he is unlikely to return in 2026.
That is very Jacked timing.
POSSIBLY UNJACKED: STEVEN OKERT — ASTROS
Injury: Right hamstring strain
Okert has resumed throwing off a mound and could be activated for the Wild Card Series.
Houston could use the reinforcement.
POSSIBLY UNJACKED: MIKE BURROWS — ASTROS
Burrows has been dealing with elbow neuritis and shoulder inflammation.
He could also be activated for the Wild Card round.
VERY JACKED: BLAKE TREINEN — DODGERS
Injury: Right shoulder
Treinen is done for the season.
The shoulder injury will keep him out for the remainder of 2026.
The Dodgers have a bye.
No one cares.
But Treinen is still Jacked.
POSSIBLY UNJACKED LATER: EDGARDO HENRIQUEZ — DODGERS
Henriquez is dealing with lower-back discomfort but is expected to face hitters during the Dodgers’ bye week.
He could return for the Division Series.
Again.
No one cares.
But that’s the update.
JACKED, BUT THE MRI WAS GOOD: JOEY ORTIZ — BREWERS
Injury: Right knee
Ortiz underwent an MRI after injuring his knee.
The good news?
Imaging came back clean.
He’s also been dealing with oblique soreness and groin discomfort.
So technically good news.
But that’s a lot of body parts.
UNJACKED: ANDREW VAUGHN — BREWERS
Vaughn was placed on the injured list because of illness but expects to be ready for the postseason.
That’s what this side of the list is for.
JACKED: SHANE McCLANAHAN — RAYS
Injury: Left forearm tightness
McClanahan is unlikely to be available as a starter through at least the Division Series.
That’s a major arm missing at the exact wrong time.
JACKED: THE YANKEES HAVING TO PLAY BOSTON WITHOUT JUDGE
Yes.
Judge already has an entry.
He gets another one.
Because missing Aaron Judge is bad.
Missing Aaron Judge for:
YANKEES VS. RED SOX
in the playoffs is worse.
That’s Jacked Up.
UNJACKED: PADRES HOME FIELD
The Padres earned the top Wild Card position and host the entire series against Chicago at Petco Park.
Last year this matchup happened at Wrigley.
This year it happens in San Diego.
Very Unjacked.
THE PLAYOFF JACKED SCOREBOARD
Yankees: No Judge.
Phillies: No Arraez.
Cubs: Gausman questionable, Steele still out.
Red Sox: Crochet back, but more injuries behind him.
Astros: Varsho probably done.
Dodgers: Treinen done. Still don’t care.
Padres: Home.
And we haven’t even played Game 1 yet.
That’s October.
Technically September.
Whatever.
If it’s sports and it’s Jacked Up, we cover it.
