The New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 Tuesday night at Angel Stadium, and while the win itself mattered, plenty of the attention afterward centered on a player who wasn’t even in the lineup.
Aaron Judge continues working his way back, and manager Aaron Boone offered an encouraging update on where things stand.
Boone Details Judge’s Latest Steps Toward a Return
Judge took batting practice off the Trajekt pitching machine over the weekend before the team left New York, another checkpoint in his hitting progression as he works toward a potential return as soon as next week, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. Since the Trajekt machines aren’t available to road teams, Judge won’t get that specific work in this week, but he’s still been able to face high-velocity pitching machines during cage sessions and stand in on live bullpen work, including tracking pitches from Max Fried on Tuesday without swinging.
Boone also offered an encouraging assessment of Judge’s physical condition.
“He’s doing well. I talked to him again today, he feels really good. He’s running well, his speed’s in a good place, his strength’s in a good place,” Boone said.
Those markers suggest the physical side of Judge’s recovery is no longer the primary concern. The focus now is on accumulating enough repetitions and rebuilding the rhythm required for game action.
Boone broke down exactly how Judge has been building up.
“He did quite a bit of hitting [Monday] and spaced it out a little bit — he went back in and hit during the game some, so it’s kind of replicating that doing some work, sit down, go back and do some things,” Boone said.
Judge has made clear he wants to avoid a formal rehab assignment, and it’s unlikely he faces any live pitching this week while the Yankees remain on the road. Boone left the door open for that to change once the team returns home Monday.
“Standing in on pens, doing Trajekt the other day, seeing velocity, all those things are helping him get prepared to get back into game play,” Boone said.
Other Roster Notes Boone Addressed
Judge wasn’t the only injury topic Boone touched on. Rookie shortstop George Lombard sat out for a third straight game with knee inflammation, though Boone sounded optimistic he could avoid the injured list and return for Friday’s series opener against the San Diego Padres.
“The running part of it’s good, it’s just getting the agility where we need it to be,” Boone said, adding that Tuesday looked better than the day before.
With rosters expanding to 28 players, the Yankees activated Ryan McMahon from the injured list and added reliever John Schreiber, claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals a day earlier. Both contributed immediately, with McMahon reaching base three times and Schreiber closing out the win with a perfect ninth.
Boone also touched on Anthony Volpe, who’s been performing well at Triple-A while adding versatility across multiple infield spots.
“He’s working his tail off down there,” Boone said.
Final Word for the Yankees
Boone’s update paints a picture of a team getting healthier at exactly the right time. Judge’s progress alone would be significant, but paired with Lombard trending toward a return and fresh reinforcements already contributing, New York’s depth is starting to round back into shape.
The next week will say a lot about how much of that group is back in the fold heading into the final stretch of the season.
Yankees’ Aaron Boone Drops Major Aaron Judge Update