Yankees' Harrison Bader to Begin Rehab Assignment

Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Friday.

He's getting close.

Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader will begin a rehab assignment on Friday with the Double-A Somerset Patriots, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters.

Bader has been sidelined with an oblique strain for over a month. He injured the oblique on a swing-and-miss in a Grapefruit League game in March and has been on the shelf ever since.

Bader faced Luis Severino in live batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, which was the last step he needed to complete before getting the green light to play in rehab games.

As Boone previously said, Bader will need more than a couple minor league games due to the extended period of time he has spent on the injured list.

Regardless, It's still a promising sign that Bader is shifting to rehab games, as his return is on the horizon.

Once Bader returns, Aaron Judge will probably play less in center field. This will also effect Aaron Hicks' and Franchy Cordero's playing time as well.

Additionally, Severino (lat strain) will head down to Tampa to throw more live BP. If all goes well, he will then begin a rehab assignment.

Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter (@ragazzoreport). Be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.