Around the Empire: Yankees news - 8/18/18

Newsday | Erik Boland: Aaron Judge threw at 90 feet before Friday’s game for the first time since going on the disabled list on July 27th with a chip fracture in his right wrist. He hopes to begin taking dry swings soon, but is still an undetermined amount of time away from a rehab assignment.

Aaron Boone had said earlier on Friday that things were going so well with Judge that there was a “chance” he could attempt to dry swing after throwing. That idea was later nixed, Boone said, because Judge was “a little sore from throwing.” Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports that Boone did not take this as a setback, and that the team simply didn’t want to “press it” with Judge.

”It felt good,” Judge said. “Every day it gets better but it’s still a fracture pain.”

MLB.com | Joe Trezza: Gary Sanchez had a good day doing defensive work and throwing to bases, Boone said. The Yankees sent Sanchez for another MRI to make sure he is healing properly. He’ll return to Tampa on Sunday to prep for a rehab stint.

New York Post | Ken Davidoff: The Yankees will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1998 championship team in an on-field ceremony before today’s game. The reunion will feature a large contingent of players and coaches from the team that went 125-50, including Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Joe Torre, Bernie Williams, and Tino Martinez. Davidoff has written a pair of nice pieces on the behind the scenes shenanigans and under-the-radar stories from that magical ‘98 run.

Newsday | Steven Marcus: Forty years later, Bucky Dent and Mike Torrez are still talking about the home run that changed the course of Yankees-Red Sox history. Dent’s three-run blast over the Green Monster gave New York the lead in Game 163. The Bombers won it en route to their 22nd World Series championship.

Finally, the Yankees have outrighted right-hander George Kontos to Triple-A.

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