Giancarlo Stanton’s Injury Update

HOUSTON — Giancarlo Stanton exited Friday’s game due to a strained right calf; however, the Yankees have not placed him on the injured list (IL) just yet.

Still, it’s a bit uncertain.

As of Saturday afternoon, the team was exploring options, hoping Stanton would recover enough to skip a 10-day stint on the IL. That said, placing him on it still seemed the most prudent choice to avoid any long-lasting issues.

“I feel better [on Friday],” Stanton mentioned before Saturday’s matchup against the Astros. “We’ll see where we are Sunday and decide then.”

He hasn’t had his calf examined yet but has plans to do so in the coming days. In the meantime, he’s been getting treatment in the training room.

“It’s not ideal,” he admitted. “But it isn’t exactly terrible either.”

Manager Aaron Boone recognized the risk of caution. Even if Stanton’s calf doesn’t show signs of a muscle tear, the team might still decide to place him on the 10-day IL to ensure a proper recovery.

“G is on board with this, but we don’t want to rush things,” Boone noted. “Let’s hope it’s nothing too serious. We want to handle this wisely, and G knows that we can’t let it turn into a long-term issue.”

As of two hours before Saturday’s game, the Yankees had not yet called up anyone from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a precaution. However, it seems likely that Jasson Dominguez would be the one to step in if Stanton needs to go on the IL. If that happens, it might just be a temporary measure until Anthony Volpe is ready to return from his rehab.

At 36 years old, Stanton has experienced his share of soft-tissue injuries. He felt the strain while rounding the bases in the sixth inning on Friday, specifically when he jogged from first to second during Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s walk.

“It felt weird,” he said. “And then the next step felt weirder.”

While at second base, Stanton tried to motion for help from the dugout, but it wasn’t until he reached third on J.C. Escala’s hit that he managed to get out of the game.

“If it feels off, just get out,” Stanton explained. “I took a sprint, felt worse, so I wanted to step back before things escalated.”

Boone remained optimistic that Stanton would catch the issue before it became serious.

“We’ll see if it’s just a routine situation or a short IL stint,” he said. “We’re continually assessing this every few hours.”

Stanton quickly shifted the focus away from his possible frustration over this latest injury, stating he’s been trying to avoid getting hurt. The Yankees have been careful with his playing time to keep him healthy, especially after he missed the first couple of months last season due to tennis elbow in both arms. He continues to focus on healing each day.

“Honestly, that’s not the main concern,” Stanton mentioned. “It’s about figuring out what’s best for me and the team.”

A potential IL trip would also give the Yankees some leeway regarding roster adjustments when Volpe completes his rehab, which may happen by next Friday.

Yet, the immediate focus remains on Stanton’s health.

“I think there’s definitely a part of him that feels frustrated,” Boone acknowledged. “But one of G’s strengths is his honesty and ability to deal with what’s in front of him. He compartmentalizes exceptionally well, and we’re hopeful this will be a short-term issue.”