Judge can play defense and run the bases but cannot hit yet. The New York Yankees have activated outfielder Aaron Judge from the disabled list Friday, the club announced. While Judge cannot yet be used as a hitter, he appeared in right field on Friday night, entering the game in the eighth inning. Judge suffered a chip fracture in his right wrist after getting hit by a pitch in a July 26 game against the Royals. The Yankees announced an approximate three-week return on the same night of the injury. In August, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Judge's recovery would take longer than originally expected. The 26-year-old rightfielder was hitting .283 with 26 home runs and 61 RBI. The Yankees (90-56) are in second place in the AL East behind the Red Sox (101-46) but sit atop the AL Wild Card standings.<doc-sep>For the first time since July 26, Aaron Judge was active for the Yankees. The club hopes his bat will follow before too long. In any case, his presence as an available player — even if only to pinch run or play the field — was seen as an emotional pick-me-up for Judge and the whole team Friday. “He’s one of those special players, special people,” Aaron Boone said of Judge, who had been on the disabled list for seven weeks with a chip fracture of the right wrist. Judge ran out to rightfield as a defensive replacement in the top of the eighth inning Friday night and was greeted with a standing ovation, followed by a chorus of “Aar-on Ju-udge.” “I was nervous standing out there on the field and I didn’t even catch the ball,’’ Judge said. “Getting those jitters out of the way was good. “I was hoping we’d bat around so I could get an AB. I was excited to get back out there.” Judge said of the fans’ reaction: “Pretty crazy. We’ve got the best fans in the world. It was great to hear their support. I think they were just cheering for that 10-0 ballgame. That performance by Tanaka tonight was amazing.” The team is not ready to let Judge hit, Boone said, but is coming up with a timetable that will have Judge continue to take batting practice, then probably face live pitching in a simulated game before he bats in a game. In any case, the club is confident that Judge will get enough plate appearances to shake off every remnant of rust before the postseason. Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. In explaining why one of baseball’s most prominent sluggers would be placed back on the roster without being cleared to hit, Boone cited an effort to “help try and finish off his rehab a little bit and, if we can, speed up the process a little bit.” “Right now, it’s just building up that stamina, building up the reps he’s able to do,” Boone said. “If anyone has watched him take BP, it’s pretty electric right now. It’s coming off [the bat] like Aaron Judge.” Before Friday night’s game, Judge did hit numerous shots over the fence, many of them to right-centerfield. Getting him back in the lineup figures to help Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez, who were slumping during a trip that ended with the Yankees losing two of three against the lackluster Twins. On top of that, the thought was that having Judge in a uniform jersey and spikes would boost his spirits and those of his teammates. Boone cited Judge’s presence, referring to “the impact he has with everyone in that room.” “Being still a very young player, when Aaron speaks, people listen,” Boone said. “He’s an outstanding competitor, outstanding teammate and someone you always want around impacting other people.” Chapman optimistic. The Yankees got another boost after seeing Aroldis Chapman play catch and do fielding drills. The closer, on the disabled list since Aug. 22 with left knee tendinitis, emphatically said he is optimistic about returning before the end of the regular season. “Overall, just in general, I feel fresh,” he said through a translator. “It’s a matter of following the process, getting some strength back.”<doc-sep>NEW YORK — For weeks, with Aaron Judge reduced to a spectator, the Yankees' lead over Oakland for the top American League wild card spot has dwindled while their offense scuffled. The dangerous prospect of traveling across the country for the one-game playoff became a significant possibility, one the Yankees will need to fend off over the final two weeks of the regular season. Friday provided signs of hope. Hours after activating Judge off the disabled list so he can begin a limited role for the time being, the Yankees finished off an 11-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before a crowd of 40,138 at Yankee Stadium. Judge wasn't a part of the offensive eruption, though, restricted to defense and baserunning as he continues to work his way back toward digging into the batter's box in a game. He entered the game in the eighth inning to play right field, eliciting a big ovation from the crowd. "It was great to hear that from them, hear their support," Judge said. The Yankees didn't need him to hit on Friday, anyway. They jumped on Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada from the start, batting around and scoring five runs in the first inning. "To really come out and get after it and throw a crooked one up there early and then continue to add on was nice and something we needed," manager Aaron Boone said, "and hopefully something that can jump-start us even more." Masahiro Tanaka did the rest of the mound, stifling Toronto through six scoreless innings. All rise Judge had been on the disabled list since July 27 with a fracture in his right wrist, an injury the Yankees originally predicted would cost the outfielder just three weeks. That timetable came up significantly short. Judge needed six weeks before he could even grip and swing a bat again. But Judge now is on the cusp of rejoining the lineup, which would immediately bolster the Yankees' offense at a crucial time. "I hope it helps just because it adds another premium player to our lineup and adds more length to our lineup which in theory makes it harder on a pitcher," manager Aaron Boone said before the game, "which hopefully lends itself to a pitcher having to work harder and eventually make more mistakes that everyone can kind of benefit from." Before Judge can hit in a game, he first will get some at-bats in a simulated-game scenario. Boone said "we're probably a couple days away" from settling on an exact plan. Still, Judge's return as a full player is close. In the meantime, the Yankees are glad to have him off the DL at all. "I just told him tonight I’m excited he’s going to have to have a jersey on and spikes on the bench, and hopefully he can impact us a little more," Boone said.<doc-sep>
Seven weeks after an errant fastball broke a bone in his right wrist, Aaron Judge has rejoined the Yankees. The team activated its star slugger off the disabled list Friday before it took on the Blue Jays. There is a catch, however. Manage Aaron Boone told reporters Judge has not yet been cleared to hit in games. He will be limited to late-inning defensive work and pinch-running duty for the time being. He's still a few days from hitting in games. Such was the case Friday night as Judge entered the game to a standing ovation in the eighth inning. He played two uneventful innings without any action, but it was a welcome sight for Yankees fans to see their star back on the field in New York's 11-0 victory. Judge started swinging a bat last week and has gradually progressed from taking dry swings to hitting off a tee to hitting in the batting cage to taking full blown batting practice. And, based on his batting practice display during the team's visit to Target Field earlier this week, the wrist is feeling pretty good. Judge hit several long home runs during his hitting work. Why activate Judge if he can't hit? Well, why not? Rosters are expanded, so carrying a part-time player is no big deal, and if Judge can help the Yankees win a game with his glove or legs, the Yankees will take it. They are only 1 1/2 games up on the Athletics for the top wild-card spot, after all. They want to play that game in Yankee Stadium, not in Oakland. The minor-league season is over and there's no way to get Judge into rehab games, so he'll have to try to get up to speed at the plate in simulated games. It's not ideal, but that's the only option. Judge will get some at-bats in simulated games the next few days, then return to the lineup and use the rest of the season to prepare for the postseason. With Judge out, the Yankees initially played career infielder Neil Walker in right field before acquiring Andrew McCutchen. Fitting Judge, McCutchen, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, and Brett Gardner into the lineup once Judge returns as a full play will take some creativity, but the Yankees will be happy to have that problem.