#Yankees’ Aaron Judge may really be ready for Opening Day

Aaron Judge believes the fractured top right rib that didn’t allow him to get into a spring training game in February and March is in the past.

Following the Yankees’ first intrasquad game Monday night at Yankee Stadium in which Judge started in right field for the Yankees’ squad against the Bombers, the face of the franchise left little doubt where he is physically.

“I am game ready,’’ Judge said. “The biggest thing now is just getting the reps in. For me right now it’s getting my timing back in the game, getting my game reps so I can go out there for 60 games.’’

With a late-afternoon thunder shower leaving center and left field damp but right field dry enough, Judge played a few innings there which was a strong sign the rib is no longer an issue.

“It has been a couple of weeks, a month or so that I have been able to swing. We were getting our work in down in Tampa, going into the facility, getting in the cages and getting on the field every once in a while,’’ Judge said. “It feels good to be back on the field. I kept trying to push them on the regimen of what we can do because my body was feeling great. I know we had a limited time to get ready for the season because we never knew when it was going to start. It’s been about a couple of weeks, a month. I am not too sure, to be honest. The days kind of blend together in quarantine.’’

Judge faced Gerrit Cole last Thursday and will repeat that daunting process Tuesday. So, he has gone from a long stretch of not seeing live offerings from major leaguers to facing Cole twice within a week and got a peek at Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees’ top pitching prospect Monday evening.

“It felt really good. I am seeing the ball well. Trying to make good contact but we have a pretty good pitching staff out there. These next couple of weeks are going to be tough,’’ Judge said. “But we are looking forward to it. You want to face the best and we got the best. It’s going to be fun.’’

Asked if he thought about not playing this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Judge said he didn’t.

“There was never a doubt in my mind of opting out. We went over the risks and went over everything,’’ Judge said. “My family is staying in California and try to watch every game they can. I am ready to go. I don’t want to opt out.’’

As one of the Yankees’ leaders Judge made sure to reinforce to other players how important it is to put the health of the team ahead of their off-the-field activities.

“Kind of what we talked to the team about. Hey fellas, we got four months of locking in, four months to through the procedures and keep everybody safe. Hold off on going out and going to places. Just be smart,’’ Judge said of the leaders’ message to the group. “That is the biggest thing we talked about, being smart and holding each other accountable. We got four months to go out there and win a championship and we want everybody on the field. You can spit and chew sunflower seeds and go out to a restaurant once this is all over with.’’