Kansas City, Missouri
Giancarlo Stanton is nearing his return to the Yankees as he prepares to kick off rehabilitation assignments at Double A Somerset on Tuesday.
If all goes smoothly, he should be good to rejoin the Yankees by this weekend, just in time for their games in Boston.
Stanton has been sidelined due to tendonitis in both elbows, an issue that lingered from last season, even during his strong playoff performances. He’s mentioned that he’ll likely experience some pain upon his return, though it seems to be manageable at this point.
At 35 years old, Stanton has been increasing his activity, focusing on live hits after sitting out all of spring training and spending a couple of weeks in Tampa. He also had minor calf issues earlier this spring but has since gone through a full running progression to prep for his comeback.
The Yankees haven’t detailed the exact plan for Stanton’s rehab games yet. Since he hasn’t played in the field, it shouldn’t take an extensive number of games before he’s back in the lineup.
This preparation is crucial; he needs to acclimate to game settings and live pitching before stepping into high-stakes matchups.
Once he’s back, Yankees manager Aaron Boone will face the challenge of adjusting his lineup. He’ll have to choose from players like Ben Rice, Trent Grisham, Jackson Dominguez, Cody Bellinger, or Paul Goldschmidt, having to sit one of them each day. With Stanton taking up the designated hitter spot, it certainly complicates things even further.
Although Stanton tends to not play every single day, he’ll likely be called on frequently once he returns. Rice and Grisham had a promising start, with Rice still hitting the ball harder than most others. Boone noted he appreciates the quality at-bats Grisham has been contributing.
Rice, who stepped in for Stanton as the primary designated hitter, could also provide rest for Goldschmidt at first base, especially when facing right-handed pitchers. He remains active defensively as a catcher before games, though he hasn’t yet started there this season.
