It’s still early days, but initial success is beginning to repeat itself when it comes to Giancarlo Stanton.
The Yankees slugger returned quietly from the disabled list, similar to the past two seasons when he returned from foot injuries, although the sample size is still small this time around.
After Friday’s series opener against the Rangers was rained out, Stanton spent five weeks on the disabled list with a hamstring injury and did not serve a rehab assignment before returning. Entering Saturday, he was 5-for-26 (.192) with a .491 OPS and two doubles in seven games (six starts) since then.
The 34-year-old has only struck out four times in that span, which may be reason for optimism as he continues to find his rhythm at the plate.
Stanton singled in garbage time Thursday night, earning his first RBI since his return.
If Stanton returns to being the force he was as a central batting threat before he was placed on the disabled list on June 23, manager Aaron Boone may decide to switch Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in the batting order and give Judge more exposure as the No. 2 hitter.
If Soto bats third, Boone will likely want a right-handed hitter (Stanton) to bat cleanup.
“When you think about the first four or five hitters in the lineup, getting G back in action again might be a factor in that,” Boone said earlier this week.
The Yankees bolstered their minor league roster on Friday by acquiring speedy outfielder Cam Eden from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.
Eden was not on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster and was therefore eligible to be traded after the trade deadline on July 30. The Yankees assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Eden, 26, batted .198 with a .620 OPS and 26 stolen bases in 91 games with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate. Last season, he appeared in 131 Triple-A games, stealing 53 bases in 57 attempts.
Carlos Rodon was scheduled to play in Chicago against his former team, the White Sox, on Wednesday for the first time since leaving the team after the 2022 season.
But Friday’s postponement meant Rodon’s planned start in the series opener against the Rangers will not happen.
