NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is back — but not built up all the way. That’s why the Yankees plan to exercise caution with the slugger, who returned to their lineup — playing right field, batting third — on Tuesday night after missing the previous 84 games with a broken rib. “He won’t play the whole game today, even though he wants to,” manager Aaron Boone said before Judge went 0 for 3 in six ...

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees looks on during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 9, 2026, in New York.

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America/TNS

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is back — but not built up all the way.

That’s why the Yankees plan to exercise caution with the slugger, who returned to their lineup — playing right field, batting third — on Tuesday night after missing the previous 84 games with a broken rib.

“He won’t play the whole game today, even though he wants to,” manager Aaron Boone said before Judge went 0 for 3 in six innings against the Colorado Rockies in the Bronx.

“I’m going to be mindful of that, especially this first week. He’ll probably have one of the days in this series off. We’ll adjust each night in what we see, but want to build him up smartly.”

The Yankees activated Judge from the 60-day injured list on Monday night, hours after a comprehensive workout at Yankee Stadium in which he faced live pitching for the first time since his injury and simulated multiple innings on defense.

Judge skipped a minor-league rehab assignment, opting instead to optimize his at-bats in the majors as the Yankees try to catch the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays over the season’s final three weeks.

But Boone said he felt Judge had “done everything, and maybe even more, to be ready” to play.

“He’s asymptomatic,” Boone said. “That’s what we had to get to, and that’s where he’s been the last several weeks now, where he’s really able to start ramping up his body with strength and running, all those things. He’s — from what he’s told me over the last few weeks — not feeling anything, doesn’t feel any restrictions.”

Judge, 34, traced the stress fracture in his right first rib to a dive he made in right field on April 26. The three-time American League MVP played through the injury for several weeks, but Tuesday marked his first appearance since May 31.

Asked if he expects to sprinkle in some designated-hitter days for Judge, Boone said “not necessarily” but that “you never know.”

“I’d like him to be cautious with [diving on defense], and he will,” Boone said. “Even though he probably got hurt doing something like that, if you really watch over the last several years, he’s done a good job of learning how to reign it in and not do certain things in certain situations.

“He is aware of those things — probably even more hyper-aware of it now. Watching him move out there, I feel like he’s moving really well, so I expect him to play very well out there, albeit avoiding certain things.”

The Yankees were 36-23 (.610) before losing Judge, who entered Tuesday hitting .248 with 17 home runs, 38 RBI and a .907 OPS.

They averaged 4.1 runs per game and a .681 OPS without Judge — down considerably from the 5.2 runs per game and .770 OPS they recorded before his absence.

Still, the Yankees managed to go 45-39 (.536) without Judge, whose powerful right-handed bat brings balance to an otherwise lefty-heavy lineup.

“We hung in there. We’ve had stretches where it’s been a real struggle for us offensively this year. I feel like we’ve started to really get better over the last couple of weeks in that area,” Boone said.

“You add him, and not only it’s him and what he brings offensively, but there is an effect around him, in netting better opportunities and better at-bats for everyone.”

Cruz continues

Fernando Cruz will try to return this season after being diagnosed with a partial tear in the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.

The right-handed reliever said he received medical clearance to attempt to pitch through the injury — rather than undergo surgery — and that he received a cortisone shot in his elbow.

Cruz expects to resume throwing by the end of this week.

“It would be horrible if I don’t come back and try to help this team accomplish what we want,” Cruz, 36, said Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

“It’s my goal to come back and do what is best. But being really, really, really honest — because I don’t want to play the hero here — if I want to come back, I want to come back at 100% and help the team.”

Cruz is 4-6 with a 3.13 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.

Good Weathers

Ryan Weathers played catch Tuesday — his third time doing so since Saturday — and said he is experiencing “no issues” as he works his way back from a left forearm flexor strain.

The left-hander expects to play catch again on Wednesday and Thursday, then take Friday off. After that, he could throw from the mound during his next three-day throwing period.

“I’m feeling really good right now,” Weathers said Tuesday, “so just keep stacking good, healthy days.”

Weathers has been out since Aug. 22, when he exited early from a start due to what he later described as a low-grade strain.

The 26-year-old boasts a 3.60 ERA in 25 starts this season, but due to the Yankees’ rotation depth and the limited time to build his pitch count up, the hard-throwing Weathers could return in a relief role.

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