The New York Yankees have been without Giancarlo Stanton since April 25. New York’s primary designated hitter has been on the 10-day injured list since with a low-grade strain in his right calf. Stanton suffered the injury the previous day in a game against the Houston Astros.
Ahead of the Yankees’ series against the Baltimore Orioles, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports the latest update on Stanton.
The purpose of the imaging will be to see how Stanton is progressing in his recovery and if they can take the next step. With Stanton unable to run, there’s still no timetable for when he’ll return. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters that they hope he can start ramping up in the upcoming week.
The Yankees will want to get back Stanton as soon as possible. They are currently 26-15, a game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East lead. With the veteran slugger nursing a calf strain, the team needs to be careful to prevent a more serious injury.
Giancarlo Stanton Injury Creates Opportunity for Spencer Jones
Since Stanton went down on April 24, the Yankees initially relied on Jasson Dominguez to fill that spot. However, Dominguez crashed hard into the Yankee Stadium wall on May 6.
While he was able to make a play to rob the Texas Rangers‘ Brandon Nimmo of a hit, he was carted off the field. The club later revealed that, in addition to being placed in concussion protocol, Dominguez suffered a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. The outfielder was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 8.
Boone told the media, including YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits, that Dominiguez’s return “could be in a few weeks”.
The Yankees promoted prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A as the corresponding move. In three games, the hulking outfielder is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in 10 plate appearances.
With Stanton and Dominguez down for the foreseeable future, the 24-year-old will get a lot of opportunities. He’s started one game each at DH, center field, and right field. In the series opener against the Orioles, he’ll start at DH again.
Yankees Lineup Situation Without Giancarlo Stanton
Since Jones is trying to establish himself in his first MLB opportunity, the Yankees will need their best players to step up. They’ve gotten excellent production out of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice so far this season. The trio all rank in the top 25 in wRC+ this season, with Rice’s 195 mark leading all qualified MLB hitters.
They’ll need to get more out of Austin Wells, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Trent Grisham to lengthen their lineup. The trio each have a wRC+ under 90 and have better showings in past seasons. That would take some pressure off Jones to get hot in order to keep the lineup afloat.
The Yankees will have to rely on their internal depth while they wait for Stanton and Dominguez to recover from their respective injuries. Barring a midseason collapse, New York should be an aggressive buyer at the trade deadline in two months. The reward for clinching the division and a top 2 seed in the American League postseason picture is worth the moves.
With Jones’ defensive versatility in the outfield, the Yankees have used the DH to give some of their starters a day off from the field. Rice and Judge have started a game each at the spot in the Brewers series. Grisham and Bellinger could see the occasional start there as well.
Yankees Deliver Update on Injured Slugger Ahead of Orioles Series