Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that Judge (abdomen/oblique) is slated to do some hitting Friday, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

Boone previously said that Judge was penciled into the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays, but the 2022 American League MVP will first need to get through some hitting Friday before being cleared to start. Judge is dealing with what the team has referred to as an abdominal injury, although Pat Ragazzo of SI.com hears it's actually an oblique issue. The expectation is that Judge will be ready for Opening Day, but he can't afford any hiccups at this stage of spring training.