BALTIMORE — Aaron Judge didn’t swing a bat against a pitcher. Nor did he run the bases. Or make throws from right field to third base and home plate.
Yet, Judge’s rehab program was on full display Tuesday at Camden Yards, where he took dry swings in the bullpen, played catch with outfield coach Reggie Willits and tracked Masahiro Tanaka’s bullpen pitches with bat in hand and helmet on head.
“He has done that a couple of times in the past,’’ Tanaka said of Judge tracking his pitches. “I think he was at his best this time.’’
Tanaka went for a chuckle and got it, but Judge didn’t talk about the activity, which drew a crowd of reporters.
“Just him starting to get ramped up, create a little bit of timing,’’ manager Aaron Boone said.
Out since suffering a strained left oblique muscle April 20 when he left a game against the Royals, Judge is making progress, but no return date has been offered for Judge by the club.
“Starting to feel he is getting closer. A couple of days of throwing, he is starting to ramp up a little,’’ said Boone, who has started Clint Frazier (11 games counting Tuesday), Curtis Maybin (nine) and Mike Tauchman (seven) in right field. The Yankees are 20-7 without Judge after Tuesday’s 11-4 win over the Orioles.
Didi Gregorius didn’t play in extended spring training Tuesday and Giancarlo Stanton wasn’t in the Tampa Tarpons (Single-A) lineup.
According to Boone, Gregorius was dehydrated and under the weather. The plan is for Gregorius to play Wednesday, possibly as a DH.
After the Yankees’ win, Boone said Stanton had gotten hit in the leg during a live at-bat a few days ago.
“He did all his pregame work [Tuesday] and held him out as a precaution,’’ Boone said. “The knee tightened up a bit, the knee/calfish area.
Don’t think it’s a big deal and expect him to play [Wednesday].’’
As for when Stanton might come off the IL, Boone said it’s not likely until next week.
“Probably not this weekend,’’ said Boone, who explained Stanton likely needs a game or two with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Stanton has played in three big-league games this year due to a left biceps problem and a shoulder issue that required a cortisone injection. His last game was March 31.
DJ LeMahieu fouled a ball off his left foot in the sixth inning and after collecting his third hit of Tuesday night’s game and scoring a run he was lifted from the game. Nevertheless, the foul ball had nothing to do with the move, said Boone.
“It was a chance to get him off his feet,’’ Boone said, referring to the 11-3 lead the Yankees had after 5½ innings. “Half a day off.’’
Dellin Betances threw from 120 feet on flat ground and is making progress toward throwing off a mound. Betances opened the season on the IL due to a right shoulder impingement and had to be shut down in the rehab process due to a bone spur.
Brett Gardner’s bat has shown signs of life recently — going 5-for-10 with a homer, three RBIs and a 1.445 OPS over the previous three games, raising his average from .197 to 213. However, with a plan to give his regulars a rest on the seven-game trip through Baltimore and Kansas City, Boone left Gardner out of Tuesday night’s lineup against O’s right-hander David Hess, whom Gardner was 1-for-7 against.
“Getting the regulars a decent day off on this trip and I want to space it out,’’ said Boone, who started Maybin in left and the ice-cold Frazier (6-for-40) in right.