Judge downplays injury concern after soft throw vs. Blue Jays

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is confident in his ability to play right field despite appearing hesitant to throw during Friday's 7-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Judge, who was making his first start in the outfield since July 25 due to a flexor strain in his right elbow, gently lobbed a ball back to the cutoff man in the first inning instead of trying to get Toronto's Daulton Varsho at home plate.

"I wouldn't be in the outfield if I wasn't able to make that throw," Judge said postgame, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News.

He added: "My first thought was to get it in to Jazz (Chisholm Jr.), get it in to whoever, just for them to make that throw. Because my first thought was trying to make the play, and (the ball) just kind of died before it got to me. So, my next thought is, 'Hey, try to get it in as soon as you can and see what happens.'"

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was also questioned about Judge's throw.

"He's in position to make the throw," Boone said.

Pressed further, Boone responded: "We're handling it how we handle it, okay?"

Boone said before the contest that Judge and Giancarlo Stanton will split time in the outfield moving forward.

The skipper acknowledged in mid-August that Judge is unlikely to throw like he "normally does" for rest of the year. However, the two-time AL MVP seemed to take issue with the comment at the time, responding that he didn't know why Boone would say that. Boone subsequently walked back the initial remark.

The Yankees and Blue Jays will continue their pivotal three-game series Saturday. Toronto has a four-game lead for top spot in the AL East.