SNY | Ben Krimmel: Aaron Judge has been cleared to resume light activity, the first positive update since he landed on the IL on May 31st. The first step has been some upper-body resistance work in the weight room, and Judge was also seen running and stretching on the field before Wednesday’s game. While acknowledging his broken rib is still ailing him, the Yankee captain expressed urgency to return, noting he’s “running out of days” before the end of the season and affirming he’ll return before then. Manager Aaron Boone also provided an update on right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who’s progressing in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He recently tossed a live batting practice (which was cut short by cramps) and could be nearing a rehab assignment.
The Athletic | Tyler Kepner: ($) Two new Yankees, George Lombard Jr. and Heliot Ramos, debuted Tuesday. They took different paths to the Bronx, with Lombard a long-touted internal prospect and Ramos a fifth-year player acquired from the Giants at the deadline, but both reveled in their new home. The 21-year-old Lombard was stoic. “I have pretty good relations with a lot of people here, so it’s not like a completely new environment,” he said. “When I first get here, everybody’s coming up to say, ‘What’s up, congrats,’ all the guys telling me to enjoy this moment, it only happens once.” Lombard indeed made the most of his moment, homering and starring in the field in a memorable 2-0 victory. Ramos, who grew up in Puerto Rico rooting for the likes of Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter, admitted to shaking with excitement upon learning of the trade, trumpeting the “high bar” set by his new organization.
ESPN: The ESPN team debates the Yankees’ trade deadline, in which the team added some thump to their lineup but failed to address top needs behind the plate and in the bullpen. Jeff Passan and Buster Olney agree they remain “squarely in the mix” in a crowded AL picture while Jorge Castillo and Bradford Doolittle lament their inability to secure a right-handed catcher. Ultimately, the consensus is that the Yankees’ fortunes will likely hinge on the return of their captain, alongside Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger.
Baseball America: An update of Baseball America’s venerable top 100 prospect list after a flurry of moves at the deadline. Lombard leads the pack for the Yankees, coming in at number 15 after slotting at 46 before the season. Next is Dax Kilby, the team’s first-rounder last year, at 37 (up from 61 pre-season). Carlos Lagrange, the fireballer who debuted at 93 this spring, ranks 79th. And Elmer RodrÃguez, who’s started four games in the big leagues this year, slides back from 58 to 83.
Defector | Chris Thompson: From enemy territory, a begrudging celebration of Lombard’s debut from a self-described Yankee hater. Thompson gives a blow-by-blow of his well-worn anti-Yankee armor being pierced Tuesday night, beginning with a charming pregame interview with Lombard’s parents and ending with his solo homer in the fifth, which the writer conceded caused him to hoot and holler in joy.
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