Aaron Judge holds out hope to play in Yanks’ March 26 opener

TAMPA, Fla. – Aaron Judge has not given up on being ready for the the New York Yankees’ opener at Baltimore on March 26 but still does not know the cause of soreness in his right pectoral muscle and shoulder.

The star right fielder said Thursday he has undergone 7-10 tests and more are scheduled.

“Quite a few of the tests are coming back clean,” Judge said. “So, we’re trying to figure out what is going on.”

Judge stopped workouts about a week before spring training after experiencing soreness while swinging, then felt soreness on Feb. 28 while hitting in an indoor cage for the second consecutive day.

Judge, who turns 28 next month, feels fine on some days and experiences discomfort the next.

“It’s kind of back and forth right now,” he said. “That’s what is making it tough, trying to describe what I’m feeling. We haven’t got a definite answer on that is going on, yet.”

Judge feels he would need about 30 at-bats to be ready for the opener.

“We’ve just got to get answers first,” Judge said.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday he thought it was unlikely that Judge will be on the opening-day roster.

“I want to know what we’re dealing with and, hopefully, have a time frame in place,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Since winning the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year award, Judge has been limited to 112 games in 2018 because of a broken right wrist and to 102 games last year due to a strained left oblique.

“I want to be out there with my team, battling with them,” Judge said.