ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge was back in the Yankees’ lineup Thursday a day after an injury scare, but his night didn’t last long because of a different physical issue.

The Yankees’ captain was removed from the 4-2 win over the Rangers in the bottom of the fourth inning with “right hip discomfort,” according to a press box announcement.

Replays showed Judge appearing to grimace after swinging through a high fastball as he struck out during the second inning — his second strikeout in as many at-bats.

Judge continued to play right field for the next two innings, but was replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera heading into the bottom of the fourth.

It was the second straight day with an injury scare for Judge.

On Wednesday at Minnesota, he jammed his right hand on an awkward, head-first slide into third base during a steal attempt.

He remained in that game and said on Thursday afternoon that the hand was “good.”

“I considered giving him a day [off] today, and I might in this series, but after talking through it with him and the trainers and once he was all right today, I feel good about that,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game.

The Yankees can hardly afford to lose Judge, the reigning AL MVP, especially with Giancarlo Stanton, Harrison Bader and Josh Donaldson already on the injured list.

The injury concern overshadowed what was otherwise a solid night for the Yankees.

Gerrit Cole continued his strong start to the season, giving up just two runs across 6 ²/₃ innings while striking out eight.

The Yankees jumped out in front in the third inning with back-to-back home runs off left-hander Andrew Heaney.

DJ LeMahieu delivered the first, drilling an opposite-field shot that stayed fair down the right-field line. Gleyber Torres then followed with his second home run in as many days, a bullet smoked 443 feet to dead center field for the 2-0 lead.

The rally continued as the Yankees loaded the bases with one out for Anthony Volpe, who continued to produce by roping the first pitch he faced into left field for an RBI single.

Cole, meanwhile, mostly cruised into the sixth inning before he loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a four-pitch walk.

After Cole struck out Adolis Garcia, he nearly got out of the inning unscathed, but he dropped the throw from second base while covering first on what could have been a double play.

Instead, a run scored and the Rangers added another on a single to make it 3-2 before the inning ended.

Cole retired the first two batters in the seventh inning before he was replaced by Michael King, who gave up just one walk over the final 2 ¹/₃ innings to record the save.

Former Ranger Jose Trevino added a solo home run for the Yankees in the top of the ninth for an insurance run, finishing off a 3-for-4 night.