TAMPA — Aaron Judge felt helpless at times late last season as he stood in right field knowing that his arm was not at full strength.
The Yankees right fielder was coming back from a flexor strain in his right elbow and, after strictly DHing for the first month off the injured list, returned to the field in September trying to do the best with what he had.
“That was the toughest thing for me last year, was the pitcher’s working his butt off and the guys around me are working their butt off and then the ball’s hit to me and I had no shot [to throw a runner out],” Judge said Monday.
But his arm began to look more like itself in October and now, four months later, Judge is feeling back to normal.
“It’s feeling great,” Judge said after the first full-squad workout of spring training. “Haven’t had any issues so far. I think we’re ready to go. I’m throwing out there confident. I’ve thrown to bases a couple times already, so no worries. Just excited to get back out there and have the confidence.”
After taking about two weeks off from throwing at the start of the offseason, Judge began his throwing program earlier than usual on the advice of the Yankees training staff.
Once he got to long tossing and could “really let it go,” he felt like he was in the clear.
“The training staff did a great job, they were really the ones pushing for, ‘Let’s have you throw all offseason,’” said Judge, who will leave camp in just under two weeks to play right field for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
About nine months removed from breaking his ankle and suffering ligament damage on a brutal slide home in Seattle, Oswaldo Cabrera is feeling good and took live batting practice Monday.
But there are evidently still barriers for the utility player to clear in order to be ready to start the season on time, with manager Aaron Boone indicating that it depends on how he looks over the next few weeks.
“We’ll take a little time before we get him into [Grapefruit League] games, but the fact that he’s doing everything now is encouraging,” Boone said. “Hopefully, he can continue to get that last layer of maneuverability and things like that.”
Anthony Volpe was scheduled to begin his hitting progression Monday, the latest milestone in his rehab from October surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
The shortstop was set to take dry swings in the training room, Boone said, though he has been able to take ground balls and throw without issues.
Ryan McMahon was held out of the first full-squad workout because of flu-like symptoms.
The Yankees outrighted Yanquiel Fernández to Triple-A, after designating him for assignment last week, and invited the outfielder to big league camp.