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The Yankees have one of their big guns – actually their biggest shooter, just in time for the race.
Aaron Judge, released July 27 with a broken right wrist, broke his last hurdle Tuesday morning in a simulated game and was in the starting lineup for Tuesday night's game against the Red Sox at the stadium.
The judge had to take the second place and play correctly.
"He's ready to go," Aaron Boone said Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, before the start of the rainstorm that pushed the start time of Tuesday at 19h from 13h, the judge participated in a simulated match. The session was watched by the majority of the Yankees' hierarchy, including managing director Brian Cashman and Boone.
Judge served as a defensive substitute in Friday's win against the Blue Jays, but he was not yet ready to pitch a bat in a match.
This changed on Tuesday after a second successful simulation game in as many days.
"I feel physically last week, he's ready to go," said Boone. "It's just a little bit of checking the boxes and making sure he's done everything. We just felt, after today, we want to start the timer to get him in and play and get him those AB [at-bats]so he can find that moment as soon as possible. Physically, it is good to go there.
On July 26, the judge suffered a wrist fracture against the Royals when Jakob Junis hit him in the first run with a fast 93 km / h.
The Yankees initially gave a three week delay for the moment they thought Judge could be ready, an estimate that Cashman would later admit was "considerably".
As recently as September 1, Cashman did not paint an optimistic picture of the judge, who admitted to having experienced wrist pain during the rehabilitation process.
"Judge will take as much time as necessary," said Cashman on Sept. 1. "If it's not right and it's not going to be the case, then you're not going to see it."
But progress has been steady after that. Judge started to hit a tee when the Yankees started a nine-game trip on September 3 in Oakland, and by the time the Yankees finished their trip to Minneapolis, the 26-year-old was taking regular training with the team.
What the Yankees can expect from Judge, hitting .285 with 26 home runs, 61 RBIs and .947 OPS when he went to the DL, is "a great question," said Boone.
"We will find out," he continued. "As I said, it's funny. Sometimes it happens very quickly, sometimes it takes a little time. Every year, it seems like it's a little different when you've been fired. I hope this will click for him fast enough. "
Boone said while monitoring Judge after every game, the plan is that he will become an everyday player again with the intention of finding him in a rhythm in time for October.
The Yankees did not lose in Judge's absence (26-22), but without a doubt, the lineup failed them. On the field and at the clubhouse.
"I really think some guys are energizing a situation," said Boone. "When we talk about Aaron, not only is he a special player, but he is also very present in our club. I think there is more impact than even its outstanding performance, and we hope that is the case. We hope he can provide you with one of those intangible things that you can not always pinpoint. "
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then moved on to the rhythm of the Jets. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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