NEW YORK – Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge did something that he hasn’t done in over a month: He threw to the second base and the cutoff man on Sunday afternoon, hours before the Bronx Bombers took on the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. The news comes almost a month after he hurt his flexor tendon in his right elbow against the Blue Jays on July 22nd.

“It’s another step in his progression,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he continues to improve… The bottom line is, we want to do this the right way. As much as he wants to be out there and we want him out there, we’ve got to do everything possible to put ourselves in the best position to not reinjure [the elbow]. As the progression goes, his body will tell us. But today was a good step forward.”

In an exclusive interview with MLBbro.com, Judge said he felt good in the outfield and is getting closer to playing in a Major League game. The Yankees have not given a timetable on when he returns to the field. Since coming off the Injured List on August 5th, Judge has been a designated hitter, exclusively. Judge said he not only likes to swing the bat, but he likes to contribute with the glove.

“I was trying to get my work in. Just getting back out on the field, moving around a little bit. I’m feeling all right and it felt good,” Judge said. “It hurts [not to play in the outfield]. I love playing the field. If you can’t get something done at the plate, maybe you can make a play on defense and help your team. I don’t like just DHing. I can’t wait to get back out there on the field.

“I’m a baseball player and if you do that, you have to play both sides of the ball. You have to play defense. I love to throw guys out. I like to make plays on the field. I like to be a complete player. Hitting is important. It helps you win some games. I just like being a complete player.”

Judge hasn’t played the outfield since July 25th against the Phillies – three days earlier he hurt the flexor tendon in his right elbow against the Blue Jays. Judge hurt the elbow in the sixth inning after trying to throw out Davis Schneider at the plate. Schneider ended up scoring on a single by George Springer. Grimacing in pain an inning later, Judge stayed in that game and went on to play the next two games against Toronto and the Phillies.

Since being activated from the IL on Aug. 5th, Judge hasn’t found his groove at the plate, going 23-for-55 [.218] with three homers and seven RBI entering Sunday’s game against the Red Sox. Judge said his injury has nothing to do with his slump.

“It’s just baseball. I have nothing for you. You have a couple of good games, a couple of bad games. It’s tough to say,” Judge said.

Boone said Judge is more than just one of the best hitters in baseball; he is an excellent defender. Entering Sunday’s action, Judge was second on the Yankees in defensive runs saved [2] behind Cody Bellinger, according to The Fielding Bible.

“That’s what always stood out to me with Judgie out there in right field – just how fundamentally sound he is, how under control he plays, just watching some of the great throws we’ve seen from him over the years where he is almost taking his time,” Boone said. “But he is totally efficient in how he does things. We certainly miss him out there. Hopefully, we continue to take these steps and we’ll get him out there at some point.”