St. Louis – So, will Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge step back into the outfield first?
In the short term, it might not be either of them.
Stanton missed his third consecutive game on Sunday due to lingering lower body pain. This issue began after he played three straight games in right field earlier in the week, while Judge is still dealing with tension in his right flexor, limiting him to designated hitter responsibilities.
“No one wants to risk further injury,” manager Aaron Boone mentioned Sunday morning at Busch Stadium. “I think it’s smart to take a day off. Monday’s a big day with the outfield here, and I believe if Stanton is needed, he’ll be ready to be a strong contributor.”
Neither Stanton nor Boone seemed eager to discuss a potential return to the Tampa outfield on Tuesday.
“We’ll see how things progress,” Stanton said.
The seasoned player was cautious regarding his injury, not specifying what parts were bothering him or if it was simply general discomfort. Boone likened the situation to a player needing to build up during spring training.
“I’m not going to get into it too much,” Stanton added. “I can still pinch hit. It’s the season, and we need to push through. It’s not like spring training anymore. I’m available [Saturday] and today.”
Boone downplayed the chance of Stanton ending up on the injured list.
“No, no, no,” Boone said firmly. “I don’t see that happening.”
The wait continues for Judge to be ready for field duties. He caught again on Sunday, making throws up to 150 feet. The next step is throwing to the bases, but Boone didn’t provide a specific timeline for that.
“I’ll rely on the trainers and Judge,” Boone said. “I’m really just waiting for the trainers to give the green light. Once I hear that, we’ll proceed.”
“I think [the elbow] is getting better each day,” he added.
