Giancarlo Stanton hasn’t used a glove in a sport since 2023. That streak is predicted to finish this weekend.
Aaron Boone mentioned there’s a “good chance” that Stanton will play proper subject at Yankee Stadium towards the Astros on Saturday. The supervisor simply needed to see how Stanton responded to some defensive drills on Friday.
Just a few throws from Giancarlo Stanton in RF as he prepares to play there tomorrow. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/NLY2B8E7Py
Stanton final performed the outfield on Sept. 14, 2023, however he’s been working on the market since Aaron Decide went on the injured checklist with a proper flexor pressure. Decide returned from the IL on Tuesday in Texas, however he’s presently restricted to DH duties as he progressively progresses via a throwing program.
With Decide DH’ing, Stanton didn’t begin the Yankees’ final two video games in Texas, the place the Rangers play on turf. He wasn’t within the lineup for Friday’s series-opener towards Houston, both.
However with Astros southpaw Framber Valdez pitching on Saturday, Boone needed to get the lefty-mashing Stanton within the lineup. The supervisor believes the slugger could be “representative” within the subject primarily based on their conversations during the last week or so.
“G’s usually brutally honest in those situations,” Boone mentioned. “So I believe he’s feeling good about the place he’s at and the week he’s had on the market.
“He’s always been a quality outfielder. Some range is going to be limited, obviously, but I do feel like he’ll make the plays that need to be made.”
Boone has additionally been inspired by conversations he’s had with outfield coach Luis Rojas, who has been hitting to Stanton and going via defensive drills with him.
Rojas mentioned that he’s been pleased with the best way Stanton has moved, and he famous that the 35-year-old has been asking for further reps.
“He’s a veteran player,” Rojas mentioned. “He is aware of himself. He doesn’t wish to be a legal responsibility or compromise the workforce. He simply needs to be on the market and assist the workforce win.
“He’s excited to show that he can do it.”
Stanton stopped taking part in the outfield resulting from a protracted historical past of lower-body accidents. Together with his mobility restricted and his 23.8-second dash pace among the many slowest in baseball, the Yankees felt having him strictly DH would protect his well being.
However with Decide now recovering, placing Stanton within the outfield is the one strategy to get each massive bats within the lineup. And with Stanton crushing 10 dwelling runs over his final 25 video games, the Yankees consider the danger is definitely worth the potential reward.
“There’s always risk when you go play the game,” Boone mentioned when requested about jeopardizing Stanton’s well being. “We wouldn’t put him in a situation where we felt like there was big-time risk. That said, anything’s possible. I do feel like, physically, he’s in a good place to go out and do it on a limited basis, and that’s why we’ve kind of spent the week, 10 days, ramping it up and seeing how he’s doing with it.”
Boone added that Stanton’s lingering tennis elbows, which delayed the beginning of his season, haven’t change into any extra of an issue because the participant started figuring out within the outfield. Rojas additionally mentioned that Stanton has not complained about his elbows.
Some extra Giancarlo Stanton in proper subject. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/uainhPSPD8
In a super world for the Yankees, Decide will progress via his throwing program shortly, making the necessity for Stanton to play the outfield non-existent as soon as the captain is cleared for defensive motion.
Nevertheless, Stanton has expressed that he misses taking part in protection, and Yankee Stadium’s small proper subject doesn’t require him to cowl a lot floor. The identical applies to left subject at Boston’s Fenway Park and Houston’s Daikin Park, locations the Yankees will go to in September.
It seems like Stanton will get an opportunity to show that he’s nonetheless a viable outfielder on Saturday. From there, the Yankees will determine if it’s greatest to proceed the experiment.
“It would be nice to at least have on a small level in play a little bit, just to add another layer of flexibility,” Boone mentioned. “But we gotta feel like, physically, he’s able to do that and it’s not taking anything away from him, too.”
Initially Printed: August 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM EDT
