The New York Yankees are finally getting Aaron Judge back this week.
During Monday afternoon's spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the team's captain "should be good to go" for Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boone provided Judge's status while being interviewed by Ryan Ruocco and Jack Curry during YES Network's broadcast of the game.
Before Monday's game, Judge was scheduled for on-field batting practice but didn't participate, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. He would participate in outfield drills instead.
The Yankees' training staff has handled Judge's abdominal issues with caution since the 32-year old slugger first reported them. While the MRI results on his abs came back clean, the abs that were bothering him are connected to his oblique; strains to the oblique muscle often results in extended stays on the injured list, so it makes sense to be extremely cautious when handling discomfort in that area.
During the weekend, Judge was ruled out of playing on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, he still participated in his regular routine of cage hitting and outfield drills, while Boone and the Yankees consistently stated that Judge is fine.
The goal for Judge is to be available for Opening Day on March 28 in Houston; he missed 42 games due to injury last season, which was a loss far too great for the Yankees to overcome. As such, the Bronx Bombers aren't taking any chances by playing their principal player in meaningless games, especially in the wake of losing ace Gerrit Cole for a month or two.
With this update on Judge's status, the Yankees definitely expect him to play on Opening Day. There are currently nine games remaining on the team's spring training schedule (including a two-game exhibition series in Mexico City), so the captain should receive a final tune-up in one or two games to prepare for the start of the regular season.
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