NEW YORK – After spending more than a month as the designated hitter and recovering from a flexor strain in his right elbow, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was back in right field for a 7-1 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday night.

Why was Friday the day to get Judge back in the outfield?

“It was where we were at in [the] throwing progression… Everything was feeling pretty good. So, if you can throw, you have to get out there,” Aaron told a group of reporters after the game.

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He didn’t look 100 percent. Throughout the game, he was warming up with a bullpen catcher about 50 feet away, as opposed to playing catch with center fielder Trent Grisham who was much further away.

Toronto wasted no time testing Judge. In the first inning with two outs, bases loaded and Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler on the mound, Blue Jays right-fielder, Nathan Lukes singled to right center-field. It looked like Judge had a chance to throw out Daulton Varsho at the plate, but he instead threw to the cutoff man, second baseman Jazz Chisholm, allowing Varsho to score easily.

After the game, Judge said he was ready to play the outfield and his first thought was to throw the ball to Chisholm in the first inning.

“My next thought was to get it in as soon as [I could] and see what happens,” he continued.

Friday was the seven-time All-Star’s first game in the outfield since July 25th against the Phillies – three days after injuring the flexor tendon in his right elbow against these same 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 final game of the series and then another game against the Phillies.

Judge was added to the Injured List on July 26th, He was removed from the IL on August 5th and simultaneously named the Yankees designated hitter. Since his return to action, Judge is 24-for-98 [.245] with six homers and 12 RBI.