Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees is unlikely to come back in the near future.

Stanton’s Return Still Uncertain After Injury

On Tuesday, Giancarlo Stanton became eligible to return from the 10-day injured list. However, it appears that the veteran designated hitter is not quite ready to come back. He’s currently dealing with what has been described as a “mild” strain in his right calf.

Manager Aaron Boone indicated that Stanton is still feeling the challenge of this calf issue and hasn’t started running again. “He’s doing well. He hit a few hits,” Boone mentioned just before the Yankees’ 7-4 victory against the Rangers.

Boone noted, “It’s lingering somewhat. I still think it’s minor, but I’m not ready to push for it yet.”

Stanton found himself on the injured list just four days after he strained the calf while jogging between bases in a game against the Astros on April 24. The team initially expected his time off to be brief, but given Stanton’s history of soft tissue injuries, they are being cautious not to rush his recovery.

Meanwhile, Jason Dominguez has stepped into the designated hitter role, batting .273 with an OPS of .833 over six games as of Tuesday. He sustained a serious elbow injury after being hit by a pitch last Wednesday but managed to play despite that setback.

On a different note, Ben Rice missed a second consecutive game due to soreness from a bruised left hand he suffered on Sunday. He had hoped to swing a bat on Tuesday to gauge his improvement but mostly focused on rehabilitation.

“Today felt better,” Rice said before attempting to take a swing. In his absence, Paul Goldschmidt started at first base and had a solid game, racking up two hits and a home run in four at-bats.

In the pitching department, Carlos Rodon began what appears to be his final rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday night. He threw 85 pitches over 6⅓ innings, allowing six runs (five earned). Boone shared that if Rodon continues to progress positively, he could be back with the Yankees soon.

Rodon expressed eagerness, saying, “When they call my name, I’m ready. It’s great.” He acknowledged that he could have advanced his recovery more quickly but felt satisfied with how his workload has increased.

As for Gerrit Cole, he made his fourth rehab start at High-A Hudson Valley on Tuesday, pitching 69 pitches and giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings. There’s still no definitive timeline for his return as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.