Yankees’ Judge out 2nd straight day with stiff neck

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was held out of action for a second straight day Sunday due to a stiff neck.

The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was scratched from a simulated game Saturday after waking up with a sore neck, and the right fielder was not included in either lineup for an intrasquad scrimmage Sunday.

New York manager Aaron Boone said Judge got treatment at Yankee Stadium on Sunday and was improving.

“Just thought it was better not to push through it today,” Boone said.

The Yankees are set to open a pandemic-shortened season July 23 at Washington.

New York is planning just a light workout Monday, and Judge will get more treatment with hopes of returning to intrasquad action Tuesday.

“I don’t think it’s something that’s going to keep him down too long,” Boone said.

The club is scheduled to play its first exhibition game against the New York Mets on Saturday.

Judge was diagnosed with a broken rib in March and used the coronavirus hiatus to recover. He had been swinging at full strength for at least a couple of weeks before camp opened and had been a full-go in intrasquad action over the past week.