Around the Empire - Yankees news: 5/29/19

NJ.com | Chris Ryan: Aaron Judge took a major step forward in his rehab yesterday. The Yankees right fielder swung a bat for the first time since injuring his oblique last month. Aaron Boone said they will err on the side of caution when it comes to ramping Judge back up, and that makes sense. Oblique injuries are easy to re-aggravate. Nevertheless, this is a most welcome sign.

North Jersey Record | Sean Farrell: More good injury news! James Paxton is scheduled to start this afternoon’s series finale against the Padres. Knee inflammation has sidelined the left-hander since May 3. While Paxton admits to still noticing the pain, doctors have cleared him to pitch. The Yankees expect the southpaw to be good for about 70-80 pitches.

New York Daily News | Kristie Ackert: Yankees fans expressed skepticism when the team quickly re-signed Brett Gardner last fall. Many wondered why the club spent part of its budget on a fourth outfielder whose skill set in 2019 revolves mostly around leadership. Injuries, however, thrust Gardner into a starting role, and he’s adjusted nicely. The 35-year-old has an above average wRC+ and a little bit of power. That’s not bad at all.

MLB.com: Believe it or not, it’s time for All-Star voting. Ballots are now open, and while the process is structured differently this year, the overall point remains the same: Vote for the Yankees!