Aaron Judge has begun running on an anti-gravitational treadmill, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday, estimating the team captain was running at about 80 percent.
“He’s moving in the right direction,’’ the manager said before the Yankees were blown out 14-1 by the Orioles at the Stadium.
That adds to Judge’s list of physical activities during his comeback from the torn ligament in his right big toe that has sidelined the Yankees slugger for more than a month.
He has been playing catch on the field and doing light hitting off a tee, as well as hard toss.
Judge and the Yankees remain confident he will return at some point in the second half.
Though both Judge and the team have declined to make a timeline for his potential return public, sources within the organization insist the rehab is going according to schedule.
The Yankees’ outfield took another hit Wednesday night when Jake Bauers injured his left shoulder making a diving attempt at a line drive.
An MRI exam revealed a bruised rotator cuff and Bauers received a cortisone shot. Boone said a stint on the injured list was “likely.”
The 27-year-old has been especially good against right-handers, with an OPS of .806.
He’s the latest lefty-swinging outfielder to go down with an injury. Willie Calhoun is still on the IL with a quad strain and Billy McKinney returned to the lineup after being unavailable due to a toe injury.
The Yankees have had their fair share of miscues in left, where they haven’t settled on a regular starter.
“We’ve had some mistakes and it’s been a mixed bag, but overall it’s probably all right,” Bone said.
Asked if the lack of a regular left fielder needs to be addressed, Boone said: “We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks. We feel we have capable guys to throw out there. It’s been a lot of people out there, obviously. A handful of them are able to play average-to-plus defense out there.”
Deivi Garcia, the onetime top pitching prospect who has made the transformation into a relief role while at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, was recalled Thursday and preserved some of the bullpen in the Yankees’ loss.
The 24-year-old pitched around five baserunners and threw 2 ²/₃ scoreless innings in his second appearance with the Yankees this year.
Garcia’s return came after the Yankees optioned Randy Vasquez back to Triple-A following another strong start Wednesday in a loss to the Orioles at the Stadium.
Vasquez, who tossed five scoreless innings Wednesday, has made three spot starts for the Yankees this season, but it’s unclear when they might need him again in the majors. Carlos Rodon is set to make his debut for the Yankees on Friday.
The Yankees will need another arm in the bullpen because Jimmy Cordero was suspended for the rest of the season for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
Nestor Cortes is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Sunday and then again in Tampa on Thursday during the All-Star break.
If all goes well, the left-hander, who has been out for a month with a rotator cuff strain, will then begin a minor league rehab assignment.
Albert Abreu has been battling an illness, according to Boone.
The Yankees claimed left-hander Anthony Misiewicz off waivers from the Tigers and assigned him to SWB. The 28-year-old has appeared in eight games this year, split between Detroit and Arizona.
He has spent parts of four seasons in the majors.
Anthony Volpe was back in the leadoff spot for the first time since May 11, against right-hander Kyle Bradish on Thursday, while slumping DJ LeMahieu slipped down to the seven-spot for the first time this season.
LeMahieu snapped an 0-for-15 skid with a seventh-inning single, while Volpe went 0-for-4.
