TAMPA. Fla. — New York All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge and catcher Kyle Higashioka took another step in returning from the COVID-19 injured list by taking batting practice Monday at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. First baseman Luke Voit, on the IL with left knee inflammation, also took part in the workout at the Yankees’ spring training complex.

With Manager Aaron Boone present, Judge also did defensive drills in right field. New York was off Monday before opening a key series Tuesday night in nearby St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Rays. Judge and Higashioka, placed on the IL July 16, are expected back during the three-game set.

The Yankees (51-47) started Monday nine games behind AL East-leading Boston and eight back of the second-place Rays. New York is facing some important decisions with Friday’s trade deadline looming and owner Hal Steinbrenner, who lives in the Tampa area, likely will be in attendance at Tropicana Field.

• Reliever Clay Holmes was acquired by the Yankees from Pittsburgh on Tuesday for infielders Hoy Park and Diego Castillo. Holmes, a 28-year-old right-hander, is 3-2 in 44 relief appearances with 44 strikeouts and 35 walks in 42 innings. He has held right-handed batters to a .173 average (17 for 98). Holmes is 5-7 with a 5.57 ERA in four major league seasons.

Park, 25, appeared in one major league game, on July 16 against Boston. He is batting .307 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and 32 RBI for Somerset and Triple-A Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Castillo, 23, is hitting .277 with 17 doubles, 11 homers and 32 RBI at Double-A Somerset.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees returned catcher Rob Brantley to Scranton.

INDIANS: The Cleveland Indians claimed left-hander Alex Young off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.

Young went 2-6 with a 6.26 ERA in two stints with the Diamondbacks this season. He made 30 appearances and two starts before being designated for assignment on July 21. The Indians optioned the 27-year-old, a second-round pick from Texas Christian in 2015, to Triple-A Columbus. In three seasons for Arizona, Young went 11-15 with a 4.73 ERA in 62 outings – 24 starts.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Indians transferred right-hander Aaron Civale from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL. Civale has been out since June 21 with a sprained finger.

MONDAY’S GAMES

BRAVES, METS SPLIT: Kyle Muller threw five scoreless innings to earn his second big league win, helping Atlanta to a 1-0 win in New York in the opener of a doubleheader with seven-inning games. Muller (2-3) allowed the Mets to advance just two runners as far as second base as he lowered his ERA to 2.55 in five games and six appearances.

In the second game, Jeff McNeil laced an RBI double in the fifth inning sent the Mets to a 1-0 victory and a doubleheader split. Kyle Muller threw five sharp innings to earn his second big league victory in the opener, a 2-0 win for the Braves.