Aaron Judge offers update on his recovery from elbow injury

Aaron Judge took another step in his recovery from an elbow injury on Sunday, but the New York Yankees star tried to temper expectations ahead of his team's series finale against the Boston Red Sox.

Judge threw to bases on Sunday for the first time since he suffered a flexor strain in his right elbow during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22. He threw from the outfield to second base and to a cut-off man, whic h seemed like a big step for the two-time American League MVP.

Judge spoke with reporters a few hours later, and he downplayed the workout a bit.

"I wouldn't say I was at 100 percent, but it was higher intensity (than playing catch). It's just checking a box," Judge said, via Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "If I can play catch at 150 feet, it's the same thing as me taking a ball and throwing it 150 feet in the direction of a base. So I think it's just about building it up and seeing what the trainers say here."

There have not been very many optimistic updates about Judge's elbow since he returned to the lineup as a designated hitter on Aug. 5. In fact, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in an interview on Tuesday that Judge may not get back to "throwing like he normally does" at all this season. Judge seemed annoyed with Boon e and said he was unsure why the manager gave that update.

It is unclear how much, if any, impact the elbow injury is having on Judge at the plate. He has batted just .218 across 16 games since his return.

Judge is most important to the Yankees as a hitter. Still, they would like to see him back to full strength and able to do everything as they look to make a playoff pitch over the final month or so of the season. It remains to be seen if New York will deem it worth the risk of having Judge play the outfield at all before the end of 2025.