Yankees 'plan' for Aaron Judge to return Tuesday vs. Rangers - ESPN

ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge could be back in the New York Yankees' lineup as early as Tuesday, when their captain is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list after being sidelined because of a flexor strain in his right elbow.

Judge hit off Yankees minor league pitchers at the team's complex in Tampa, Florida, for the second day in a row on Monday and was then expected to join the team in Texas. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge could be available Tuesday for the middle game of the three-game series against the Rangers.

«I don't want to say definitely because I haven't seen him yet, but I think that's the plan,» Boone said before Monday night's series opener. «I think he's expected in here tonight, and we'll make that call.»

A two-time American League MVP, Judge hasn't played since July 25 because of the elbow strain. An MRI showed no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament. He had a platelet-rich injection July 27, when he was placed on the IL in a move retroactive to the previous day.

His .342 batting average was still the best in the majors going into Monday's games. He was fourth with 37 homers and fifth with 85 RBIs.

If Judge does return while in Texas, Boone said he will be the designated hitter. But the slugging outfielder also might play catch while there, which will help determine when he could return to the outfield.

«I'm hoping that Judgie's clean and is playing catch either [Tuesday] or the next day and we'll start to get an idea about a timeline for that, and then we'll see when we get back home what happens there,» Boone said.

Giancarlo Stanton has been the Yankees' starting DH for all of his 32 games this season, including Monday's opener against the Rangers. He missed the first 70 games of the