PAIN DELAY
Judge return still stalled as wrist discomfort continues
The Yankees don’t know when Aaron Judge will be able to swing a bat — let alone when he might be back in the lineup — and neither does he.
“I’ve got no answer,’’ Judge said Tuesday, nearly five weeks after he suffered a chip fracture in his right wrist when he was drilled by a pitch from the Royals’ Jakob Junis. “I don’t want to put myself in a box. When I’m ready, I’m ready.”
Even though Judge has been told he can play before the fracture completely heals, he continues to feel pain and discomfort in the area, which is preventing him from swinging or throwing at full strength.
And he doesn’t know when that will change.
“I’ll wake up one of these days and feel good,’’ Judge said. “I’m just waiting for that day.”
So are the Yankees, who misjudged how long their right fielder would be out of the lineup and didn’t trade for another outfielder. Giancarlo Stanton was in right field Tues- day against the White Sox, but his tight left hamstring has often left the Yankees with inexperienced Neil Walker and light-hitting Shane Robinson in the outfield.
While the offense has continued to produce, it has been significantly less dangerous with Judge out for more than a month.
He insisted he’s making progress in terms of pain and his range of motion.
“The pain is going down,’’ Judge said. “If it was a 5 two weeks ago, it’s gone down to a 4. It’s just working its way down. I’m just trying to get it down to 0. … That would be ideal.”
Judge said he’s not concerned he won’t be back before the end of the regular season.
“Not at all,’’ he said. “It takes about six weeks for something like this to fully heal. ... My main focus is getting healthy. I don’t have a timetable for when I want to get back. I’ve just got to get better and then look at a timetable.”
Didi Gregorius took swings in the cage and fielded grounders Tuesday, although manager Aaron
Boone noted the ground balls were right at the shortstop and he still needs to test moving around and running on his bruised left heel, which has had him on the DL since Aug. 21 after suffering the injury Aug. 19.
“He could potentially go outside and run [Wednesday],’’ Boone said. “If that’s the case, he could be on a faster track. We’ll have a good idea time-wise where we are possibly after [Wednesday].”
The Yankees haven’t determined whether Gregorius will need a rehab stint.
Gary Sanchez played in a second straight rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Tuesday after catching seven innings and hitting a home run on Monday against Lehigh Valley.
“He ran really well and he caught well,’’ Boone said. “It was another good step for him.”
Sanchez was batting second as the designated hitter Tuesday against Syracuse. Boone said after he has “a couple more games behind the plate,’’ the team will have to decide when he will return to the majors.
Justus Sheffield could be an option out of the bullpen next month, but Boone said the Yankees want the lefty prospect to get some more experience pitching in relief before a potential promotion.
He entered Tuesday having made two appearances out of the pen at Triple-A, having given up a run in two innings each time.
“They’ve been OK,’’ Boone said of Sheffield’s outings.
Aroldis Chapman got a second scheduled platelet-rich plasma injection in his left knee Tuesday to combat the tendinitis that has bothered him for much of the season.
“I’m sure over the next couple days there’s a chance he’ll start playing catch and throwing,’’ Boone said. “We’ll have a better idea as the next couple days unfold.”