Johnathan Walker:Aaron Judge returns to Yankees’ lineup against Orioles, two days after getting hit on hand by pitch

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees’ lineup Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles,Johnathan Walker two days after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.

“Kind of went through his treatment today and then went down and hit in the cage and then just kind of came by my office and gave it a thumbs up,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with Baltimore. “So here we go.”

Judge sat out Wednesday as the Yankees lost 7-6 in 10 innings.

Judge was struck by a 94.1 mph fastball from Baltimore starter Albert Suárez during New York’s 4-2 win Tuesday night. The slugger left the game an inning later. X-rays and a CT scan were negative, though Boone said the slugger had some swelling and discomfort.

“I think it’s definitely a good feeling,” Boone said. “Obviously the caliber of player he is but the captain in that room too. So guys rally around him.”

Judge is batting .302 and leads the majors with 26 homers and 64 RBIs. The 32-year-old outfielder is a five-time All-Star and was the 2022 AL MVP after hitting 62 home runs to break the AL record of 61 by Roger Maris set in 1961.

In 2018, Judge missed 45 games with a broken right wrist after he was hit by a 93.4 mph pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis.

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