ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge could be back in the New York Yankees’ lineup as early as Tuesday, when their captain is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list after being sidelined because of a flexor strain in his right elbow.
Judge hit off Yankees minor league pitchers at the team’s complex in Tampa for the second day in a row Monday before flying to Texas, where he was seen in the dugout during the opener of a three-game series. Manager Aaron Boone said the two-time AL MVP could be available Tuesday.
“I don’t want to say definitely because I haven’t seen him yet, but I think that’s the plan,” Boone said before the game.
Judge hasn’t played since July 25 because of the elbow strain. An MRI showed no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament and he had a platelet-rich injection July 27, when he was placed on the IL in a move retroactive to the previous day.
His .342 batting average was still the best in the majors going into Monday’s games. He was fourth with 37 homers and fifth with 85 RBIs.
If Judge does return while in Texas, Boone said he will be the designated hitter. But the slugging outfielder could also play catch while there, which will help determine when he could return to the outfield.
“I’m hoping that Judgie’s clean and is playing catch either (Tuesday) or the next day and we’ll start to get an idea about a timeline for that and then we’ll see when we get back home what happens there,” Boone said.
Giancarlo Stanton has been the Yankees’ starting DH for all of his 32 games this season, including the opener against the Rangers. He missed the first 70 games of the season with inflammation in the tendons of both elbows, and Boone said he wouldn’t play the outfield in Texas if Judge does DH during the series.
The first time Judge said he felt pain in the elbow was July 22 at Toronto, after he made a strong throw home when George Springer singled to right. An inning later, Judge winced after catching a fly in the right-field corner and throwing to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Judge was caught by a YES Network camera clenching his right hand in a fist.
The Yankees arrived in Texas after being swept in a three-game series at Miami. That dropped them to third place in the AL East behind Toronto and Boston with 50 games left in the regular season, including Monday night. They go back home after the series in Texas.
Boone said having Judge back will be good for the team.
“Yeah, he’s Aaron Judge. We know what he means to our lineup and to the guys in the room,” Boone said. “So to get him back, we’re certainly excited about that and then hopefully shortly thereafter he’s back out in the field, too.”
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