‘Beat up’ Judge receives respite

The Yankees’ other injury concern at least appeared to be much smaller in degree.

On the same day Gerrit Cole was sent for an MRI on his right elbow, Aaron Judge did not play as the Yankees fielded two teams, one that beat the Phillies, 2-1, at BayCare Ballpark and one that beat the Orioles, 5-3, at Steinbrenner Field.

Judge is feeling “kind of beat up,” manager Aaron Boone said, citing Judge’s core and overall body as the source of his soreness.

Judge had been pulled from Sunday’s game an at-bat earlier than most of the regulars, but Boone has maintained that decision was planned and had nothing to do with the soreness.

There is “not really” any concern, said Boone, who added that Judge is expected to return to the lineup and play center field Wednesday.

Judge struggled to stay healthy in the early years of his career, but appeared to turn a corner and needed just one, brief IL trip combined in 2021-22. He missed most of June and July last season after a fluke injury, tearing a ligament in his right big toe running into the wall at Dodger Stadium.

Any Judge soreness this early in spring is worth monitoring, but Boone portrayed this respite as a veteran knowing how to build up his body.

“One thing I think Aaron has gotten really, really good at the last few years has been managing the nicks and minor things that he deals with throughout the year,” Boone said. “I think he covers himself really well now.”

Back in Tampa, bench coach Brad Ausmus said he spoke with Judge and said he was in “good spirits.”

Judge was listed on the schedule to take batting practice on a back field, but did not hit.

“He was gonna have a light day, even [Sunday],’’ Ausmus said.

Ausmus added he left it up to Judge whether he wanted to hit and Judge said he would skip it, something Ausmus said the team has done with other players this spring.

As a former catcher, Ausmus has been impressed with Austin Wells, who threw out a runner trying to steal second and had a three-run double.

“He’s gotten real hot with the bat right now,’’ Ausmus said. “He wants to be a catcher. I know he’s done well from a statistical standpoint defensively in spring training. If he keeps moving in that direction defensively and swings the bat like he’s been swinging it, I think he’s destined to have a long career, especially being a left-handed [hitting] catcher.”