The New York Yankees were handed some concerning news on slugger Giancarlo Stanton and his return from injury.
Stanton is on the IL due to a right calf strain and has been out since April 25. Given that it’s been over a month, many have wondered when Stanton would return, but it likely won’t be anytime soon.
Yankees insider Chris Kirschner of The Athletic revealed Stanton is still out for a bit, and the best-case scenario is a June 16 return. Yet, Jasson Dominguez will return before Stanton.
“Jasson Domínguez will begin a rehab assignment on Friday,” Kirschner wrote. “It’s possible his time in the minors could be short. Domínguez showed last season that he can be an above-average bat from the left side of the plate. He has shown progress from the right side this season, albeit in a small sample.
“Giancarlo Stanton is potentially further away from the big leagues than Domínguez. Stanton is not expected to join the club on its upcoming road trip to Cleveland and Toronto, leaving a best-case scenario of returning June 16 against the Chicago White Sox, though it’s still unclear if he’ll require a rehab assignment.”
Getting Stanton back would be a big boost to the Yankees’ lineup. Yet, it won’t be on this upcoming road trip after their three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox.
Yankees Unsure on Rehab Assignment for Stanton
New York will have to decide on Stanton and his future soon.
Although Stanton has been on the IL for over a month, he has been doing live batting practice. So, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he isn’t sure if Stanton will need a rehab assignment.
“That’s not a big question for me, not necessarily, but I won’t rule it out either,” Boone said. “We’ll decide that at the end. He’s different than every other player in that he doesn’t have to build up innings or things like that. It’s possible, but not a certainty either.”
Even though Stanton may not need a rehab assignment, he will still be out for another 10 days at minimum, and still could be longer.
Stanton is hitting .256 with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs this season.
Aaron Judge Out Weeks
New York, meanwhile, got some concerning news on Aaron Judge.
Judge was placed on the IL with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. He will be reimaged in four to six weeks to determine a level of healing and the appropriate next steps.
Without Judge, veteran pitcher Gerrit Cole says everyone, including the pitching staff, will need to step up.
“Aaron obviously means a lot to us,” Gerrit Cole said. “He just plays great baseball all the time and brings great energy. It’s tough when guys get hurt, but unfortunately, it’s part of the game. As a team, you’ve got to figure out how to step up in those situations, and so that’s what we’ll do.”
With Judge on the IL, the Yankees recalled outfielder Spencer Jones. Jones posted a slash line of .167/.259/.167 with two RBIs in 10 games earlier this year.
Yankees Get Concerning Giancarlo Stanton Update Ahead of Red Sox Series