TAMPA — Aaron Judge took small steps Wednesday on the road to being able to take part in all facets of spring training.
Judge didn’t participate in batting practice due to a right shoulder problem but, unlike Tuesday, the right fielder played catch. He also tracked pitches in the bullpen. Judge fielded ground balls in right field but didn’t throw to the infield as Miguel Andujar and Giancarlo Stanton did.
Despite Judge telling Aaron Boone he was “game-ready’’ after the throwing session, the manager said the Yankees are taking it easy.
“Start reintroducing him to full swinging and stuff in the next couple of days I would think,’’ Boone said of Judge, who hasn’t taken batting practice in roughly a week, instead limited to bottom-hand work. “I am sure in the next day or two it will probably start to ramp him back up.’’
Boone said an MRI exam on Judge’s shoulder appeared the same as it always has.
“He had some stuff in there going back to when he was drafted [2013], frankly a lot of people do,’’ Boone said. “It’s kind of typical for most baseball players. It wasn’t much change from that.’’
With MLB making changes to video rooms at big-league parks in the wake of the Astros using the technology to swipe catchers signs, Boone said he doesn’t want the video rooms eliminated.
“I hope it is not taken away completely,’’ Boone said. “I think there is a way to [change] some things and still have that teaching tool there.’’
Boone said he hasn’t finalized pitching plans for the first turn of the exhibition season but is strongly leaning on J.A. Happ to pitch the first game against the Blue Jays on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. And Gerrit Cole said his next outing will be five days from Wednesday, which likely lines him up for an inning Monday night at home against the Pirates.