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Aaron Judge is pictured during the Yankees\u2019 Feb. 14 session at spring training. Charles Wenzelberg<\/p>\nTAMPA \u2014 The Yankees are losing their captain for a few weeks in March, but they plan on seeing plenty of him in game action until then.<\/p>\n
Before he leaves to captain Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge likely will play in four or five of the first nine Grapefruit League games, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday, adding that he is \u201cfull go\u201d with his arm after dealing with a flexor strain last summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to up his workload in his first week going into the WBC,\u201d Boone said at Steinbrenner Field. \u201cI want to build [him] up to where when he leaves, he\u2019s played six innings in a game and probably played \u2014 right now, I\u2019m planning on playing him in four or five of the first nine games, just so he\u2019s in a good spot when he\u2019s got to go there and play nine innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to make sure I up it, as safely as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aaron Judge is pictured during the Yankees\u2019 Feb. 14 session at spring training. Charles Wenzelberg<\/p>\n
Most springs, Boone eases his veterans into Grapefruit League action. But this one will be different with Judge set to leave camp March 1 to go play right field for Team USA.<\/p>\n
As for Judge\u2019s elbow, he took a couple of weeks off from throwing in the offseason before beginning to ramp back up, with all indications being that it has gone smoothly to date.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s throwing the ball really well right now,\u201d Boone said.<\/p>\n
Elmer Rodr\u00edguez, one of the top Yankees pitching prospects, flashed his potential across two innings of live batting practice Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig fan,\u201d Boone said. \u201cAnother guy that I think has a really, really bright future as a starting pitcher. I think he\u2019s got a chance to be a really good starter. He can do a lot of things with the ball on the mound. He\u2019s got a number of different pitches, he\u2019s got real good feel to pitch.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I watch him, I look at him and think, \u2018That guy\u2019s going to be a starter in this league for a long time.\u2019 That\u2019s my early impressions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cam Schlittler had Sunday off from throwing, but he is scheduled to get back on the mound for a bullpen session Tuesday, which would be his first since the Yankees slowed him down because of mid-back and left lat inflammation<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tGo beyond the box score with the Bombers\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThank you\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Aside from Sunday, the right-hander has been playing catch every day while getting treatment on his back.<\/p>\n