NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge made his long-awaited return from a fractured rib Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies, but the Yankees plan to ease him back into action as the regular season draws to a close.
New York manager Aaron Boone said Judge, who is starting in right field and batting third, will not play the entire game Tuesday. He will then take one of the next two nights off before the Yankees welcome the New York Mets for a three-game Subway Series beginning Friday.
"I'm going to be mindful of that, especially this first week," Boone said. "We'll adjust each night and what we see, but we want to build him up smartly."
The team decided to activate Judge from the injured list without him going on a rehab assignment after he faced live pitching for the first time Monday at Yankee Stadium. He last played in a game May 31 -- over a month after fracturing a rib diving for a ball in late April.
Boone said Judge has been asymptomatic as he completed his rehabilitation. The goal is to ensure he remains that way through October.
"That's what we had to get to," Boone said. "That's where he's been the last several weeks now where he's really been able to start ramping up his body, and strength and running, all those things. He's -- from what he's told me over the last few weeks -- not feeling anything. Doesn't feel any restrictions."
The Yankees were a different team during Judge's absence. Before he was sidelined, the Yankees went 36-24 and ranked fourth in the majors in runs scored. While he was out, they went 45-39 and ranked 26th in runs scored -- relying heavily on one of the best pitching staffs in baseball.
Judge was batting .248 with 17 home runs and a .907 OPS in 59 games before going on the injured list.
"We hung in there," Boone said. "We've had stretches where it's been a real struggle for us offensively this year."
The Yankees entered Tuesday trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by four games for first place in the American League East and leading the Boston Red Sox by two games for the top AL wild-card spot with 19 games remaining. As it stands, New York would host Boston in a three-game wild-card series with the winner going on to face the Rays.
The Yankees took that path last season, beating the Red Sox in three games in the Bronx before losing to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS. Armed with their three-time MVP, the Yankees seek to make it easier on themselves with an AL East title.
"Excited, obviously, to get our guy back," Boone said. "Hopefully, we get him going as soon as possible."