--The New York Yankees activated All-Star slugger Aaron Judge from the disabled list Friday, but with a catch.

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According to manager Aaron Boone, the Yankees do not deem him ready to bat just yet. Instead, the 6-foot-7 outfielder will be used at times on the bases and on defense only amid his ongoing recovery from an injured right wrist.

Judge took live batting practice before Monday’s game, and while he’s still bothered by discomfort in his right wrist, progress was noted.

“It’s fun watching Aaron Judge take batting practice. So that’s nice,” Boone said Monday, smiling. “But obviously, you understand it’s another step in the progression, so you do get excited when you see one of your best players working his way back in hopefully what was a big step in him getting back to us toward the end of the season.”

--Chicago Cubs closer Pedro Strop, who injured his left hamstring while running to first base on Thursday, will be out for the rest of the regular season, the team announced.

The right-handed reliever underwent an MRI that found a moderate left hamstring strain, leaving the Cubs forced to audition closers with just 16 games left in the season. According to the team, Strop’s availability for a potential playoff run is unknown.

Strop, 33, has 13 saves and a 2.26 ERA in 60 outings this year.

--Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco is expected to miss seven to nine months while recovering from left shoulder surgery, the team announced.

In an operation performed Wednesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Polanco had his labrum repaired after he dislocated his left shoulder on an awkward slide into second base during a Sept. 7 victory against the Miami Marlins.

The Pirates already had announced that Polanco would miss the rest of the season. He batted .254 with a career-high 23 home runs, 32 doubles and 81 RBIs in 130 games.

--According to a poll of more than 10 MLB executives by Fancred Sports, the Philadelphia Phillies are expected to pursue either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper in free agency and could potentially sign both.

Among the six reasons the Phillies were made early favorites in the superstar sweepstakes chase were that they have the financial means after signing a huge 10-figure TV contract and their payroll is quite low for a team in that market.

“The rival execs are convinced that the they could get both superstars, but that one or the other is almost a fait accompli,” Fancred’s Jon Heyman writes. “That in itself would be a game-changer for a Phillies organization that found itself leading the division in 2018 earlier than many expected.”

--Field Level Media