TAMPA – The Yankees will lose their captain for a few weeks in March, but they plan to see plenty of him in action until then.
Before he leaves to captain Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge will likely play in four or five of the first nine Grapefruit League games, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday, adding that he is “full go” with his arm after dealing with a flexion injury last summer.
“I have to increase his workload in his first week of going to the WBC,” Boone said at Steinbrenner Field. “I want to build [him] to where, when he goes, he’s gone and probably played six innings in a game – right now I’m planning on playing him in four or five of the first nine games so he’s in a good spot if he has to go out there and play nine innings.
“I want to make sure I can do it as safely as possible.”
Most springs, Boone guides his veterans in Grapefruit League action. But this one will be different as Judge will leave camp on March 1 to play right field for Team USA.
As for Judge’s elbow, he took a few weeks off from pitching in the offseason before starting to get back into the swing of things, with all indications being that things have gone smoothly so far.
“He’s throwing the ball really well now,” Boone said.
Elmer Rodríguez, one of the Yankees’ best pitchers, showed his potential during two innings of live batting practice on Sunday afternoon.
“Big fan,” Boone said. “Another guy who I think has a really bright future as a starting pitcher. I think he has a chance to be a really good starter. He can do a lot of things with the ball on the mound. He’s got some different pitches, he’s got a really good feel for pitching.”
“When I look at him, I look at him and I think, ‘That guy is going to be a starter in this league for a long time.’ Those are my first impressions.”
Cam Schlittler had Sunday off from pitching, but he is scheduled to return to the mound on Tuesday for a bullpen session, which would be his first since the Yankees slowed him down due to mid-back and left latitis.
Apart from Sunday, the right-hander played catch every day while receiving treatment on his back.
Ben Rice, who was dealing with a stiff neck during the first few days of camp, resumed hitting Sunday, facing Rodríguez and relievers Tim Hill and Angel Chivilli in live batting practice.
Boone said all position players reported as expected on Sunday and that at least as of the afternoon, no new injuries had surfaced during their physicals. … Max Fried threw two innings of live batting practice on Sunday, building up to about 35 pitches.
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