ANAHEIM, Calif. — Aaron Boone reiterated Tuesday that Aaron Judge is “close” to a return.
But the Yankees manager left himself with some wiggle room on the exact definition of “close.”
“I don’t know when he gets to that point to where, now we’re ready to play,” Boone said Tuesday before the Yankees continued their series against the Angels. “I do feel like the things he’s able to do now are kind of putting him in that ‘close’ [description].
“But whether that’s days from now or weeks from now, I can’t answer it, because we gotta get through those final hurdles where he can really do things that allow him to play in the major leagues.”
Judge took batting practice on the field Tuesday for the fourth time in the last five days — there was no on-field batting practice before Sunday’s day game in Denver — and then did some light defensive work in right field.
The reigning American League MVP, who has been out since June 3 with a torn ligament in his big right toe, has also been running in the outfield in recent days — not at full speed, but certainly more than jogging.
Boone indicated that Judge’s next step in his rehab process will be advancing to running that includes cutting and movements as he would make in the course of a real game.
“He’s running pretty well,” Boone said. “But it’s one thing to run straight ahead, it’s another thing to be cutting and stopping and starting and the unexpected things that happen when you’re in the midst of a game. And then also being able to be at a really high level in the box. It’s one thing to be taking [batting practice] and getting your swing off. It’s another thing to be in a game and taking a difficult pitch and holding a check swing – all those things you need to be in a real comfortable spot to do.”
It remains to be seen how many games Judge would need to play in a potential rehab assignment — he will be “a big part of that conversation,” Boone said — before being cleared to come off the IL.
But the Yankees have at least kept the door open for it to happen sooner than later, since Judge has not yet been transferred to the 60-day IL, which would keep him out at least until Aug. 3.
If the Yankees need to open another 40-man roster spot before he returns, that could become a consideration.
When Judge does come back, the expectation is that he will split time as DH and right fielder — “probably more DHs in there than normally for him,” Boone said.
The biggest question, though, is how effective Judge will be at the plate if he is still playing through some discomfort.
“I’ll know that he feels like he can be the player he needs to be for us,” Boone said. “Whether that’s 90 percent, 95, 100, 80, I don’t know. We’re not at that point yet. We’ll see.”