Aaron Judge has traded remaining with the Yankees for a stint at their player development complex as he continues to inch closer to a return to major league action.

The reigning AL MVP played five innings of a simulated game on Tuesday at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa, taking at-bats, playing the outfield and running the bases in the latest step forward after he tore a ligament in his right big toe on June 3.

Judge had spent his recovery with the Yankees, but moving his rehab process to Tampa will allow him to build up his workload against Yankees minor leaguers in a controlled environment.

Judge will face the rehabbing Jonathan Loaisiga, against whom he squared off on Sunday in The Bronx, in another simulated game on Wednesday.

After that, the Yankees determine Judge’s next steps.

The Yankees, who entered Tuesday 18-22 since Judge last played, have not committed to sending him on a rehab assignment before he is activated off the injured list.

It is possible Judge could just continue to get at-bats and test his toe during simulated games at the Yankees’ complex until both sides determine he is ready to rejoin the roster.

“I think everything’s in play,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So far, it seems like today was another positive day. We’ll see how it goes [Wednesday]. I think we’re leaving everything on the table.”

Asked whether Judge could be ready by the series against the Orioles that will begin Friday, Boone said he would not rule anything out and insisted the Yankees were evaluating the situation day by day.

They sorely need Judge back, especially as they enter a stretch that includes series against the Orioles, Rays and Astros, but they do not want him to come back too soon and risk making things worse to the point at which he is ineffective or becomes unavailable again.

“It’s get through [Tuesday and Wednesday],” Boone said. “Hopefully we can ramp up and it’s a couple innings more. I don’t think he had any action in the field today. We’ll try to make sure there’s action in play or script some things a little more so not only is he getting the volume of being out there for an hour, two hours and getting the live at-bats, but… [He is] trying to replicate things that would come up in a game as much as you can. And then we’ll just see.”

Judge has said he will not be free of pain when he comes back.

He will need to determine how much pain he can tolerate and still be productive.

“It’s going to be, how does he tolerate moving around the field, moving on the bases, having those at-bats where you gotta hold your swing and things like that,” Boone said. “So [things] where you’re a little off-script and not just taking BP or whatever. Keeps moving in a good direction. The fact that we’re at this point is a positive.”