ARLINGTON, Texas — For the first time in 12 days, Aaron Judge threw a baseball.
The Yankees slugger played catch with Giancarlo Stanton from about 60-90 feet at Globe Life Field on Wednesday, the first day of his throwing program after landing on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain. The club hopes it is the first step toward getting him back in right field before long, but all of that depends on how his elbow responds to the early days of throwing.
“Felt good. Normal throwing,” Judge told The Post and two other outlets before a 3-2 win. “It’s obviously sore. You got a flexor strain, it’s like [hamstring] — you run for the first time on a hammy, it’s going to be sore. But it didn’t feel like what it did when I hurt it.”
Judge hurt the elbow on a throw in a July 22 game in Toronto. He served as DH the next game and then was back in right field on July 25, but was having a hard time making any throws into the infield, which led to the MRI exam and diagnosis of a flexor strain the following day.
Aaron Judge warms up before the Yankees’ game against the Rangers on Aug. 5, 2025.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After spending the minimum 10 days on the IL, Judge was activated on Tuesday and rejoined the Yankees lineup at DH, where he will be until he is cleared to play the field. For now, the plan is to play catch again on Thursday and continue to evaluate how he is feeling, though it is something he will likely have to manage even once he returns to right field.
“I think for a little bit and then eventually it will get better and we’ll be good to go and forget about it in a couple weeks,” Judge said. “We’ll see, I’ve never had this. It’d be easier if I had a quad or a hammy or an oblique and I could give you guys a better estimate about what we got.”
Judge said he will be “smart” about playing through the injury, but also acknowledged Tuesday night he wants to get back in right field as soon as he can “because we need all the big boys in the lineup.”
That was a reference to Stanton, who was back on the bench Wednesday for the second straight game. He has been getting some pregame work in right field and the Yankees insist he could be an option there when they return home this weekend against the Astros. Whether it actually happens may depend on how long they think Judge needs to be ready, though putting Stanton in the field for the first time since 2023 comes with a risk given his extensive injury history.
New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) hits a single during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Wednesday.Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
“You’re trying to weigh that, trying to get a feel from Big G,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Looks like we do have a couple lefties with Houston, and with [Austin] Slater going down, there’s probably an avenue to get him out there. I feel like G, in his head, is feeling like he can go out there and be representative. We’ll see.”
