Fans in the stands hold signs before a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge could be back in the New York Yankees’ lineup as early as Tuesday, when their captain is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list after being sidelined because of a flexor strain in his right elbow.

Judge hit off Yankees minor league pitchers at the team’s complex in Tampa for the second day in a row Monday, and was then expected to join the team in Texas. Manager Aaron Boone said the two-time AL MVP could be available Tuesday for the middle game of the three-game series.

“I don’t want to say definitely because I haven’t seen him yet, but I think that’s the plan,” Boone said before Monday night’s series opener against the Rangers. “I think he’s expected in here tonight and we’ll make that call.”

Judge hasn’t played since July 25 because of the elbow strain. An MRI showed no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament and he had a platelet-rich injection July 27, when he was placed on the IL in a move retroactive to the previous day.

His .342 batting average was still the best in the majors going into Monday’s games. He was fourth with 37 homers and fifth with 85 RBIs.

If Judge does return while in Texas, Boone said he will be the designated hitter. But the slugging outfielder could also play catch while there, which will help determine when he could return to the outfield.

Season over

PHILADELPHIA — Baltimore right-hander Grayson Rodriguez will have season-ending surgery on his pitching elbow next week.

Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino made the announcement before Monday’s game in Philadelphia.

Rodriguez started the season on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation that flared up in spring training. A rehab outing scheduled for April 17 was canceled because of a strained lat muscle.

The 2018 first-round draft pick, who missed three months of the minor league season in 2022 with a lat injury, hasn’t pitched in the majors since July 31, 2024. He finished last season on the IL with a strained lat.

Surgery instead

MIAMI — Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes will rehab his right hamstring injury instead of undergoing surgery. He hopes to return before the season is over, general manager Dana Brown said Monday.

Paredes suffered what Brown described as a “severe” right hamstring strain in a loss to the Seattle Mariners on July 19.

He’s had multiple rounds of imaging done since then and received a second opinion last week from a doctor, who told him his two choices were to rehab the injury or undergo season-ending surgery.

No Riley for now

ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has been placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.

Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25. The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett.