The Yankees like what they’re seeing from Aaron Judge in right field.
Judge’s arm strength and throwing are “probably a lot better” right now than they were two or three weeks ago, manager Aaron Boone said.
“I think it’s been steady improvement, but tough to say exactly,” Boone said Saturday. “I think it’s going well.”
It’s been a little over two months since Judge was diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The issue required a 10-day stint on the injured list, followed by a month in which Judge played exclusively as the designated hitter.
After returning to the outfield on Sept. 5, Judge appeared more measured with his throws early on.
But Judge unleashed a 85.8-mph throw to second base on Wednesday — his hardest such toss since returning from the IL to that point.
“He’s stepped on a couple,” Boone said. “The throw he made from the corner into second base the other day was a strong one.”
Initially, the Yankees eased Judge back into the outfield mix by staggering his time on defense and at DH. But Saturday afternoon’s game against the Baltimore Orioles in the Bronx marked Judge’s fifth consecutive start in right field.
He has now started in right field in eight of the last nine games.
“I feel like we’re in a good place there,” Boone said.
When Judge was restricted to DH duty, Giancarlo Stanton returned to the outfield for the first time in nearly two years. Stanton has made 20 appearances in the outfield this season, all in the past two months, but he’s resumed his role as the primary DH as Judge’s defensive workload has ramped up.
Stanton, 35, has not started in right field since Sept. 10. He has not started in the outfield in any capacity since Sept. 14, when he played in Fenway Park’s ultra-shallow left field.
“I gotta get back the accuracy a little bit, but that’ll come,” Judge said Wednesday after his 85.8-mph throw came in high. “I don’t like airmailing balls like that, but I feel good.”
Being able to use Judge regularly in right field and Stanton at DH allows the Yankees to optimize their lineup on offense and defense going into the postseason.
Judge hit his 52nd home run in Friday night’s 8-4 win over Baltimore. He entered Saturday leading all MLB hitters in batting average (.330), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.687) and OPS (1.144).
The 33-year-old Judge seeks his second consecutive American League MVP trophy and his third overall, but he faces strong competition in Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who began Saturday with an MLB-best 60 homers.
“Nothing Aaron Judge does surprises me,” Boone said after Friday’s win. “To me, he’s the clear-cut MVP.”
TAXI MAN
With the Triple-A season now complete, J.C. Escarra was back in the Yankees’ clubhouse on Saturday. Escarra is sticking with the team as a member of the taxi squad, Boone said.
“J.C.’s been a big part of our team this year, and [it is] certainly important to have him here,” Boone said.
Escarra began the season as the Yankees’ backup catcher, but the 30-year-old rookie was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late July.
He had two more short stints in the majors after that, but with first baseman/catcher Ben Rice receiving more and more time behind the plate, the Yankees largely opted against carrying three catchers.
Escarra hit .202 with two homers in 84 MLB at-bats, and he grades as one of baseball’s better pitch-framing catchers.
Asked Saturday if Escarra could factor into one of the Yankees’ postseason rosters, Boone replied, “I don’t know yet.”
“We’ve been so consumed with this [playoff race],” Boone said. “Once we get through tomorrow, we’ll start having all those conversations in earnest.”
An undisclosed group of players on the Yankees’ 40-man roster will also stay ready in Scranton, Boone said.
