American League Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge was poised to return from a near eight-week injury absence Friday after the New York Yankees took him off the injury list before a game against the Orioles in Baltimore.

Judge was in the lineup as the designated hitter, batting second.

The Yankees captain, who set an American League record with 62 home runs last year, hasn't played since June 3, when he crashed into the right-field wall at Dodger Stadium to make a catch, tearing a ligament in his right foot.

Judge said this week that he would not be "pain-free" when he returns, adding that "We'll just get as close to manageable as we can."

He has steadily ramped up his activity, playing five innings under simulated conditions on Tuesday at the Yankees' training complex in Tampa, Florida.

Judge was batting .291 with 19 homers and 40 runs-batted-in when he was injured, with the Yankees holding a 2 1/2-game advantage for the third AL wild card spot.

Without him they have gone 19-23 and entered Friday 2 1/2 games out of a post-season berth.

The 62-40 Orioles had a 1 1/2-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays atop the American League East division going into Friday's game with the Yankees eight games back in last place.

bb/sev