Sawt Falasteen - Yankees' Judge improving, but not ready for baseball activities

Judge, who won his third American League Most Valuable Player award last season, hasn't played since he was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side on June 4 after playing through pain over several weeks.

Speaking before the Yankees launched the second half of their MLB season with a home again against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Judge said he remained optimistic he would return this season.

"I don't see why I wouldn't," said Judge, who called the latest medical scans showing some healing a positive result, even though he has not yet been able to resume upper body workouts.

Judge, 34, has 17 home runs with a .248 batting average and 38 runs-batted-in 59 games this season.

Since he went on the injured list on June 5 the Yankees are 18-19 and have slipped three games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East division.

Judge, 34, suffered a stress fracture of the same rib and a partially collapsed lung while attempting a diving catch.

He said last month he thought he suffered the latest injury while trying to make a diving catch and avoid colliding with teammate Jazz Chisholm in an April 26 game in Houston.

E.Qaddoumi--SF-PST