Judge activated by Yankees, no hitting yet
Aaron Judge took another small step in his return from a broken right wrist when the New York Yankees activated him from the disabled list on Friday but said he is limited for now to playing in the outfield and pinch running.
Judge has not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees initially expected Judge to return in about three weeks.
“With the roster, it makes some sense to have him available to, if there's a spot where we can get him in, to run the bases or play some defense,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the start of New York's final regular-season homestand. “He's getting real close to being an option for us.”
Judge on Monday took his first on-field batting practice since the injury. Boone said Friday the team is a couple days from making a decision on at-bats for Judge in a simulated game, a step before he will hit in a game. Judge has to take more swings and face higher velocity before he hits in a game.
Judge is hitting .285 with 26 home runs and 61 RBIs. The Yankees entered Friday 26-20 since he got hurt, fading from contention in the AL East but on track to earn a wild card.
Pirates OF Polanco out 7-9 months
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco could be out until next June after having surgery on his left shoulder.
The Pirates made the announcement on Friday, which was Polanco's 27th birthday.
Polanco leads the Pirates with a career-high 23 home runs, 81 RBIs and 61 extrabase hits. He batted .254 this season.
Polanco dislocated his throwing shoulder on an awkward slide into second base on a double last Friday against Miami. He had surgery Wednesday to repair the labrum and stabilize his shoulder, and the Pirates said it is projected to take seven to nine months for a return to action.
Cubs reliever Strop to miss rest of season
Cubs reliever Pedro Strop will miss the rest of the regular season with a left hamstring strain, leaving the NL Central leaders with major questions at the back end of their bullpen.
The team announced the injury after Strop underwent an MRI on Friday.
Strop has been Chicago's closer since Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list on July 18. He has 11 saves in 13 opportunities since then and 13 saves on the season. He's 6-1 with a 2.26 ERA over 59 2/3 innings in 60 appearances.
Unless the Cubs can make a trade, manager Joe Maddon said before Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds that he envisions using a closer-by-committee approach, calling on veterans including Jesse Chavez and Steve Cishek to finish games.
Strop hurt his hamstring while running to first base on a double-play grounder in the 10th inning of the Cubs' 4-3 win at Washington on Thursday. It was just the second at-bat of the season for the 33-year-old right-hander.
Morrow, sidelined with right biceps inflammation, expects to throw a simulated game on Saturday.