Yankees’ Aaron Judge to return after 9-day injury absence

TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was in the posted lineup for Wednesday night’s game against Pittsburgh after sitting out nine days with an abdominal injury.

Judge hadn’t played since March 10, when he struck out in both at-bats against Atlanta. He had an MRI the following day.

Judge said he started feeling discomfort with his abdomen during his swing’s follow-through a couple of weeks ago.

Judge missed 42 games last season with a torn ligament in his right big toe, an injury sustained when he ran into Dodger Stadium’s right-field fence on June 3. He has said the toe is feeling great.

Third baseman DJ LeMahieu, who fouled a ball hard off his right foot Saturday, remained out of the lineup with a bone bruise. He was slowed the past couple of seasons by a right toe injury.

LeMahieu is hopeful he’ll be available on Opening Day, though manager Aaron Boone is pleading with him not to rush it.

«The last thing I want to do is something stupid and go backwards,» LeMahieu said Wednesday morning. «That’s been made very clear by him to me.»

LeMahieu said he’s still feeling some pain but that the bone bruise has gotten better over the past few days. He’s hopeful to be swinging a bat again in a day or two though he’s still in the «treatment phase.»

«Trying to get the swelling out first and foremost,» he said. «Trying to [do] doing as much as I can.»

Despite a .222 spring batting average with just one extra base hit, LeMahieu says he’s in a good spot at the plate and a few days off from games won’t be an issue.

«I’ve had a good spring training,» LeMahieu said. «I’ve had a lot of at-bats. It won’t take me much. I’m pretty much all ready, already.»

LeMahieu isn’t likely to play in exhibition games this weekend in Mexico City, instead, pointing at Opening Day in Houston for a return.

«I can already tell the difference in 3-4 days,» he stated. «A lot of improvement. Just keep on that track.»

New York found out last week that ace Gerrit Cole won’t throw for three to four weeks due to nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow. The right-hander will need a spring training-like period after he resumes throwing and is not expected back until late May at the earliest.

Information from ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and The Associated Press was used in this report.