Giancarlo Stanton is returning to recreation motion.
The Yankees introduced that the designated hitter will begin a rehab task with Double-A Somerset on Tuesday night time. The reveal follows months of nondescript and unsure updates on the slugger, who missed all of spring coaching on account of tennis elbows.
Stanton, who additionally had a calf subject within the spring, has been hitting off high-velocity machines and taking stay at-bats. He has not performed in a recreation because the 2024 postseason, a interval that noticed him go scorched earth on opponents as he received ALCS MVP honors and the Yankees superior to the World Collection. Stanton’s elbows had been barking then as nicely; they bothered him all through a lot of final season.
Regardless of such an extended hiatus, Stanton’s rehab task is just not anticipated to final lengthy. That’s been a theme all through the veteran’s oft-injured Yankees tenure.
The query is what Stanton will appear to be when he comes again, because the 35-year-old expects to play by way of continued ache and would require upkeep on his elbows.
Whereas Stanton loved a considerably resurgent season in 2024, hitting .233/.298/.475 with 27 homers and 72 RBI earlier than an explosive October, he slashed simply .202/.286/.442 from 2022-2023.
With Stanton sidelined, Ben Rice has been the Yankees’ major DH this season. The sophomore, who may also play first and catch, has posted Stantonian exit velocities whereas hitting .241/.327/.497 with 12 homers and 25 RBI over 56 video games.
Stanton’s return would presumably result in extra defensive reps for Rice, who has solely logged 72.2 innings within the area this season.
