New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is scheduled to advance to the next phase of his recovery this week, with manager Aaron Boone stating Judge will be "introduced to his hitting progression." Judge has been engaged in "swing-related stuff" in the pool in recent days as part of his rehabilitation from a fractured rib.
"He's progressing," Boone said Tuesday. "It's all part of the process. Hopefully it goes well. The fact that he's responded in this first week of added intensity -- as far as being allowed to do some things upper-body-wise -- playing catch, running -- it's all part of his buildup."
Prior to playing catch last week, Judge had been limited to lower-body and light resistance training since landing on the injured list. Boone indicated that while he was unsure of the exact start date for swinging, the progression is a positive sign, suggesting no setbacks have occurred. A public timeline for Judge's return to the lineup remains unavailable.
In related news, outfielder Cody Bellinger is nearing a return from a strained left hamstring. Bellinger is slated to play in a minor league rehabilitation game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. He acknowledged the offense has struggled in the absence of himself, Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. Bellinger anticipates needing more than one rehab game before rejoining the major league club, but has not ruled out an immediate return.
"We'll assess how I feel," Bellinger said. "The last few days I have gone about as close to 100 percent as I could give in a non-game setting. ... We'll see how it goes."
Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out since April with multiple calf strains, is reportedly "towards the end of his running program" with increased intensity and positive responses. However, Judge's absence has been particularly impactful, with the Yankees posting the third-worst on-base-plus-slugging (OPS) and scoring the third-fewest runs since he was injured.
Pitcher Clarke Schmidt is also progressing in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and threw off a mound Tuesday. Luis Gil has completed his rehab assignment and is now with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Both pitchers are considered potential bullpen options for the team later in the season.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. returned to the lineup Tuesday after sitting against a right-handed pitcher on Sunday. Boone also considered starting José Caballero, who provided a spark to the offense in a recent win against the Toronto Blue Jays. "It was good to see [Caballero] have a good day,'' Boone said. "He's been going through it, too."
Among players with at least 450 plate appearances this season, Chisholm currently has the seventh-worst OPS at .683. Heliot Ramos continues to start against right-handed pitchers despite his struggles, though he was acquired by the Yankees from San Francisco at the trade deadline primarily for his performance against lefties.