BOSTON – Because the Yankees filtered into Fenway Park on Friday, Giancarlo Stanton loved a light-weight exercise and a restoration day at Yankee Stadium.
There was an opportunity that Stanton was going to make his season debut in opposition to the Purple Sox this weekend, because the designated hitter didn’t rule it out on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Aaron Boone pumped the brakes on that chance.
“I’m not necessarily expecting him to play this weekend, but stranger things have happened,” he stated earlier than the series-opener.
The expectation is that Stanton, who missed all of spring coaching with tennis elbows, goes to play in one other rehab recreation on Saturday, doubtless at Double-A Somerset. That’s not set in stone although.
Stanton performed in three straight video games for Somerset between Tuesday and Thursday. He went 3-for-11 with one double, 4 RBI, one stroll and two strikeouts in his first video games because the 2024 World Sequence.
Boone stated he’s been “pleased” with what he’s seen from Stanton’s rehab project up to now.
“His at-bats look good,” the supervisor stated. “He’s very detailed and specific about how he feels. He appears like his timing is fairly good proper now and that he feels up to the mark on the fastball and issues like that.
“Some of the at-bats I’ve seen, I feel like he’s recognizing balls out of the zone and things like that, and he looks strong to me when he lets go.”
Boone added that he’s solely communicated with Stanton “a little bit” this week, they usually haven’t spoken a lot about how the slugger’s elbows really feel.
Stanton has made it identified that he expects to play by means of ache shifting ahead.
“I think he’s in a good place physically,” Boone stated. “It’s now just about amassing the reps and building the endurance.”
With Stanton returning quickly, his lack of use within the outfield will throw a wrinkle into the Yankees’ lineup development.
Ben Rice has been the workforce’s main DH with Stanton out, however he’s anticipated to get some begins behind the plate going ahead. The Yankees have solely used him as a receiver late in blowout video games up to now in his large league profession, however he’s impressed the group — notably director of catching Tanner Swanson — along with his day by day work behind the scenes and restricted in-game reps.
A pure catcher who has earned constant at-bats this season, the lefty-swinging Rice may play first. So Stanton’s return may minimize into the right-handed Paul Goldschmidt’s enjoying time.
Boone stated he gained’t deploy straight platoons as soon as the right-handed Stanton joins the Yankees, who even have 4 starting-caliber outfielders for 3 spots. The skipper hasn’t had many conversations along with his energetic gamers about enjoying time simply but, although he went over totally different eventualities with Stanton a couple of month in the past.
“We’ll figure it out,” Boone stated. “Having loads of good gamers is an efficient factor.
“I think we’ll have great buy-in from our guys. I think that team in there, and especially where guys are in their career, they want to win. We’ll try to put everyone in the best position to be successful and also try to keep everyone sharp and regular. It doesn’t mean it’s going to be perfect, but we’ll do the best we can with it.”
It stays to be seen when Boone must begin fixing that puzzle, however will probably be prior to later.
He stated that trainers can have enter on when Stanton is prepared, however “the biggest say is probably G’s now.”
JAZZ HELD OUT
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (groin) remained out of the Yankees’ lineup on Friday, however he stated he was feeling “really good” and took grounders earlier than the sport. The third baseman deliberate on hitting as properly.
Chisholm expects to be again within the lineup on Saturday, whereas Boone stated the speedster might be out there on Friday.
“I’m hoping and expecting him to be a bench option tonight,” Boone stated.
Chisholm added that his neck and proper thumb, which he banged up within the Yankees’ earlier sequence in opposition to the Royals, are not hassle him.
