James Paxton took a step toward rejoining the Yankees rotation on Tuesday, throwing his first bullpen session since being placed on the injured list with left-knee inflammation — but the injury isn’t completely behind him.
“I felt it a little bit,” Paxton said. “It wasn’t the same pain as before. I’m just very aware of the area.”
The left-hander has also started wearing a knee brace, something he intends to do “for the time being, until it’s completely all the way gone.”
Paxton, who left his start on May 3 after experiencing discomfort in the area, said he never has worn a brace before, since he never had a knee issue.