Yankees' Aaron Judge getting up to speed, seeing more playing time in the field

ATLANTA – The training wheels are slowly coming off Aaron Judge.

The Yankees captain, prudently treated with caution and care when he came off the injured list late last month, increasingly is seeing more time in the field.

Judge has started in 16 games – counting Tuesday night’s against Atlanta – since being activated, with nine of those at designated hitter. Judge, who missed 42 games because of a sprained right big toe, has started the last six in rightfield, including Tuesday night.

“I think he’s done great,” Aaron Boone said before the game. “He’s not 100%, but I feel like his moving around, that’s gotten better since the first day, and that’s kind of steadily improved. Whether he gets back to 100% this year or not, I’m not sure about that, but I do feel like he’s able to move out there properly, he’s able to protect himself, I feel like he’s been having really consistent at-bats for us. He’s just probably not able to be at that peak physical level that you’re at when you’re full-bore.”

Judge, who throughout his rehab process said he likely would not feel 100%  at any point before the end of the season, has, as Boone said, started to turn it on at the plate.

The Yankees captain came into Tuesday hitting .260 with three homers and a .456 on-base percentage and .916 OPS since his return. In his previous seven games entering Tuesday, Judge hit .348 with two homers, a .531 on-base percentage and 1.184 OPS.

The outfielder, who in his first week or so back clearly was protecting the toe on the bases, has started to let loose a bit more in that regard as well. Sunday’s 8-7 loss to the Marlins in Miami was the most recent example when Judge, on first base after a walk, steamed around the bases to score on a Giancarlo Stanton double in the third inning.

“He’s doing pretty well,” Boone said. “The fact that he’s been able to play a good amount of games in the field, I think is testament to that, and just even seeing move around the bases a little bit, I feel like I’ve noticed a fairly steady improvement in that area.”

Pitching doings

Boone left open the possibility of using an opener for Randy Vazquez in Wednesday’s series finale. If the Yankees go that route, the opener likely would be Michael King, if the righthander wasn’t needed Tuesday night. King opened for Jhony Brito Saturday in Miami and allowed two runs and four hits over two innings. The Yankees, off on Thursday, open a three-game series against the Red Sox at the Stadium Friday and Boone said Brito is in line to start that night’s game.    

Rodon latest

Boone said Carlos Rodon, on the IL since Aug. 7 with a left hamstring strain, is scheduled to throw a simulated game Wednesday in Tampa at the club’s minor league complex. With no setbacks, the plan is for the lefthander to rejoin the rotation at some point during next week’s series against the Nationals.