Judge to have debut delayed

TAMPA — Don’t look for Aaron Judge until the sixth game of the exhibition season.

“I would say within a week from now,’’ Aaron Boone said Wednesday when asked when Judge will make his first springtraining appearance. “That would be my tentative expectation.’’

Judge is being brought along slowly after undergoing left shoulder surgery in November. He has been taking batting practice and participating in fielding drills but will wait to get into a game.

“He is in a really good place physically and in a lot of ways he is raring to go but we are going to be real cautious with it and slow play that a little bit,’’ Boone said.

Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner will join Judge on the bench Friday against the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

“We will probably hold Gardy out the first game and we will probably hold Gary out the first game,’’ Boone said. “We are trying to map out our first four games as well.’’

Yankee pro scouts are in town for meetings. This is the first year those gatherings are being run by Dan Giese, who took over as director of professional scouting when Kevin Reese was named minor league head.

Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery will start the third and fourth games of the exhibition season.

Boone announced Luis Cessa will start Friday against the Tigers, Domingo German on Saturday versus the Pirates, Montgomery faces the Phillies on Sunday and Gray gets the Phillies on Monday.

As for Masahiro Tanaka, who threw a 72-pitch bullpen on Tuesday, Boone was unsure when the righthander would get into a game.

“I am not sure when his first outing will be in a major league game. I don’t think it will be too long from now,’’ Boone said. “He is in a really good spot. ... We will figure out what the best plan is for him — major league games, back f ields, [simulated games]. We will allow it to play out.’’