CLEARWATER, Fla. — The other Yankees injury concern at least appeared to be much smaller in degree.

On the same day Gerrit Cole was sent for an MRI exam on his right elbow, Aaron Judge did not play as the Yankees fielded two teams, one playing at BayCare Ballpark against the Phillies and the other home against the Orioles.

Judge is feeling “kind of beat up,” manager Aaron Boone said, citing Judge’s core and overall body as the source of his soreness.

Judge had been pulled from Sunday’s game an at-bat earlier than most of the regulars, but Boone has maintained that decision was pre-planned and had nothing to do with the soreness.

There is “not really” any concern, said Boone, who added that Judge is expected to return to the lineup and play center field Wednesday.

Judge struggled to stay healthy in the early years of his career, but appeared to turn a corner and needed just one, brief IL trip combined in 2021-22.

He missed most of June and July last season after a fluke injury, tearing a ligament in his right big toe running into the wall at Dodger Stadium.

Any Judge soreness this early in spring is worth monitoring, but Boone portrayed this respite as a veteran knowing how to build up his body.

“One thing I think Aaron has gotten really, really good at the last few years has been managing the nicks and minor things that he deals with throughout the year,” Boone said. “I think he covers himself really well now.”