TORONTO — The Aaron Judge watch is officially on.

The star right fielder played catch Friday for the first time in months, his biggest step toward returning from an injury that has sent the New York Yankees’ season into a tailspin.

Judge hasn’t been in the Yankees’ lineup since May 31, recovering from a stress fracture in his first right rib.

“Part of the ramp-up of the baseball activities,” manager Aaron Boone said before Saturday afternoon’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre.

The move was significant for Judge, who’s battling against time. The regular season ends Sept. 27.

The Yankees woke up Saturday in second place in the American League East, 6 1/2 games back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. But the Yankees also held a three-game lead for the top wild-card position.

Boone was asked if Judge could return in a month, or by Sept. 15.

“I don’t know,” he said. “We expect him back. Hopefully things continue to go well.”

Boone said that he had spoken to Judge on Friday and that the throwing session went well, though he didn’t know what Judge would do next.

Doctors didn’t require Judge to undergo a new round of testing before allowing him to throw Friday, Boone said. It’s still possible that he’ll undergo another MRI to assess his healing, the manager added.

It was unclear whether doctors consider Judge simply healthy enough to play or if the Yankees are running out of time to get him ready.

“There’s still healing to go,” Boone said. “But he’s at the stage where he’s able to start ramping up.”

The Yankees’ offense has been a mess without Judge, who has won the last two American League MVP awards and three total.

They were fourth in the majors in runs scored (305) and second in wRC+ (117) before Judge’s last game on May 31. Since June 1, they are 26th in runs scored (241) and 28th in wRC+ (87).

The Yankees were also only 1 1/2 games back in the AL East when Judge last suited up.

Their season may hinge on whether Judge is fully healthy and has enough time to round into postseason shape with so few regular-season games remaining.

Yankees awaiting the return of several other stars

Left fielder Cody Bellinger (left hamstring strain) sprinted in the outfield at the Rogers Centre on Saturday and could start a rehab assignment sometime next week, Boone said. Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) ran the bases and hit on the field Friday, though Boone said he didn’t have a timeline for when the designated hitter could return. Lefty starting pitcher Carlos Rodón (elbow inflammation) has made two rehab starts, and Boone said the Yankees haven’t decided whether his next start will be in the majors or if he’ll need another rehab outing.

Germany’s Johannes Liebmann and American Kate Douglass set swimming world records on Saturday, dazzling at events held in Paris and California.

Liebmann, 19, knocked nearly four seconds off the men’s 1500m freestyle record as he claimed his first international gold medal at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris.

He completed the distance in 14 minutes 26.79 seconds – 3.88secs faster than the previous record which was set by American Bobby Finke at the 2024 Olympics, also held in the French capital.

Liebmann became the first swimmer to go under 14:30 for the distance as he slashed the most time off the record since Australia’s Grant Hackett in 2001.

Three-time Olympic champion Hackett took more than seven seconds off when he swam 14:34.56 – a record which stood for 10 years.

Douglass broke the women’s 50m freestyle record for the second time this summer, achieving her feat in California during heats at the Pan Pacific Championships.

The two-time Olympic champion, 24, clocked 23.49secs to regain the record from Gretchen Walsh.

Douglass swam 23.59 in June before compatriot Walsh lowered the mark to 23.55 nine days later.

The cyclists’ union has expressed “fury” over the death of British rider Fin Tarling during Friday’s stage of the Volta a Portugal.

The 19-year-old NSN Cycling rider reportedly collided with a vehicle not involved in the race.

And the union’s president Adam Hansen told BBC Sport there needs to be better helmet safety as cyclists hit record-breaking speeds during races.

“We are speechless and filled with anger,” said the Cyclistes Professionnels Associes (CPA) on social media.

“It is not right that a young athlete’s life should end this way, and we are furious that even today it is still not possible to prevent such serious accidents.

“We share in the grief of his family, friends, team, and everyone who knew Finlay. Rest in peace, young rider; we pray for you, and we will carry you in our hearts.”

Tarling was the younger brother of Josh, a time trial specialist for British super team Netcompany Ineos, who has won a stage of the Giro d’Italia and a European Time Trial title.

Fin Tarling himself had finished strongly in the time trial a few days earlier in the race he would never finish.

He was part of a new generation of male and female British riders on the World Tour who grew up on the success of highly decorated road cyclists, such as Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome and Lizzie Deignan, during a golden decade for British participation in the sport from 2012.

Just like all young professionals, Fin spent hours every day trying to extract as much performance as possible. But he was known to love every element of cycling and was always in the saddle.

His parents, Michael and Dawn, frequently attended races and even set up their own team in their home in Ceredigion, west Wales.

BBC Sport understands organisers are considering a tribute to Tarling at the men’s Tour of Britain, which starts on 2 September.