Yankees manager hints at possible return of Aaron Judge: "There’s some things on the horizon that are going to fortify us"

Since Aaron Judge had two large toes that were pain-free, Sunday may have been the most optimistic day for Aaron Boone's club. The New York Yankees then took their captain's lead.

The Yankees' lineup maintained its momentum when Judge swung at Jonathan Loaisiga in his first live pitching encounter since suffering an injury in early June. Yankees manager Aaron Boone hinted at the possible return of Judge when asked about the team's future:

“It’s no secret we’ve been struggling,” Boone said after the offense broke out following a dismal road trip. “To come home and regroup and get a series sweep … we still got a long way to go. We feel like we have a chance to be a really good team.

“We’re incomplete without question, but we do feel like there’s some things on the horizon that are going to fortify us.”

Boone had earlier said this about Judge's return:

"Yesterday was another encouraging day." - Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge's timeline for a potential return

Aaron Judge enjoys batting practice for the first time since ligament tear

The Yankees skipper took live batting practice for the first time since tearing a ligament in his right big toe in early June, and all eyes were on him.

Kansas City Royals v New York Yankees

When facing Jonathan Loaisiga, who was also recovering, Judge swung at six of the 16 pitches he saw, fouling off five and missing another. Above all, he didn't look like he was favoring his toe.

Boone said he thought Judge looked “good,” and added, “it’s not going to get any harder than that, facing Jonny Lo in your first live session."

Judge received a unanimous vote for American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017 and came in second place for the AL's Most Valuable Player. He re-signed with the Yankees in 2022 on a nine-year, $360 million deal, and the team appointed him captain soon after.