Giancarlo Stanton’s Recovery Update
Since the start of spring training, Giancarlo Stanton has been vocal about managing his elbow pain upon his return from the injured list. It seems he might be getting closer to rejoining the team—potentially by the end of this month. After facing live pitching for the first time on Tuesday, the veteran designated hitter felt good enough to ramp up his batting practice on Wednesday.
When asked about his elbow pain, Stanton was a bit evasive, saying, “I don’t want to keep discussing this; I’ve been over it so many times.” He added, “If I’m on the field, it means I’m ready to play. There’s no other position.” The Yankees have been cautious about setting a specific timeline for his return, but they did mention that the recent 60-day transfer to the injured list won’t hold him out past May 23rd.
If Stanton continues to progress as he has, he may not be out for too long. Being a DH, he typically doesn’t need the usual rehabilitation assignments, especially after missing the start of the season.
Looking back, when Stanton returned in previous seasons, his rehab assignments typically lasted just one or two games. He mentioned on Wednesday that he would “probably” need some rehabilitation games based on who he could face in live practice before officially coming back.
Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Stanton’s readiness, stating, “When he’s here, he knows it’s time to play. If he doesn’t feel productive, he won’t push it. When he’s ready, we’re going to be in a good place.” It’s clear the team is being careful but optimistic.
Meanwhile, regarding other injured players, Jonathan Loáisiga, recovering from UCL surgery, has moved to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre for his rehab, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts on Wednesday.
If things go well, he might be activated from the injured list around May 20th. Boone remarked, “He looks fantastic. When I saw him in Tampa, he was throwing well. He had a brief setback but is doing great now.”
As for the pitching lineup, Will Warren and Carlos Rodon are set to start the first two games of the A series this weekend, while a decision regarding the Sunday game is pending, potentially involving Ryan Yarbro or Alan Winans. Clark Schmidt is currently slated to pitch on Monday, but Boone mentioned that could change if necessary.
