Aaron Judge has already returned to the New York Yankees lineup as a designated hitter, but the MVP candidate took another significant step toward outfield action on Wednesday.

Prior to the game against the host Texas Rangers, Judge threw from about 60 feet while playing catch with Giancarlo Stanton — his first time throwing since landing on the injured list late last month with a right elbow flexor strain.

Judge came away from the warm-up with a positive outlook.

“Felt good to get out there. We’ll see what I can do (Thursday),” Judge said. “You’ve got a flexor strain. Like a hammy, the first time you run on a hammy, it’s going to be sore. But I didn’t feel like I did when I hurt it.”

Judge saw his first action with the Yankees on Tuesday after returning from the 10-day IL, going hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts. He leads the majors with a .339 batting average. Entering Wednesday, he was tied for fourth in home runs (37) and fifth in RBIs (85). Judge went 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk as the Yanks’ designated hitter on Wednesday, a 3-2 New York win.

Asked about soreness in his arm, Judge said that “eventually it will get better and we’ll be good to go and forget about it in a couple of weeks.

“We’ll see,” he added. “I’ve never had this. Would be easier if I had a quad or a hammy or oblique, I could kind of give you a better estimate of what we’ve got.”

–Field Level Media