The New York Yankees entered spring training and were dealt an immediate setback with a Giancarlo Stanton injury that would keep him out a few weeks. After already being shut down for multiple weeks, it now appears the Yankees lineup won’t have Stanton back for a long time.
Stanton was diagnosed with an elbow injury that he managed to play through during the MLB playoffs. However, the tendon injuries had worsened and he revealed he was dealing with “severe” issues in both elbows. While surgery is an option, it would be a season-ending procedure and New York is hoping to avoid that for the time being.
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- Giancarlo Stanton stats (ESPN): .233/.298/.475, .773 OPS, 27 home runs, 72 RBI, 20 doubles, 49 runs scored in 417 at-bats
He’s already had multiple rounds of PRP injections in both elbows, with the treatment having little positive effect on the “tennis elbow” he is dealing with. He’s already been ruled out as part of the Yankees lineup on Opening Day with an absence that gets extended every few days.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Memorial Day, May 26, is the team’s “optimistic” target for a return. However, the elbow injuries aren’t the only thing the All-Star hitter is dealing with.
According to Heyman, Stanton is also reportedly dealing with a chronic calf issue that potentially would’ve kept him sidelined during spring training even without the elbow injuries. Even if Stanton is eventually cleared to return in May, the chronic calf issue might require maintenance upon his return.
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- Giancarlo Stanton contract (Spotrac): $32 million salary in 2025, $19 million salary in 2026, $15 million salary in 2027, $15 million club option for 2028
All of this comes at a time when New York is already without DJ LeMahieu and it just lost Gerrit Cole to season-ending Tommy John surgery. Stanton’s potential replacement in the Yankees lineup, Ben Rice, owns a .728 OPS in spring training with 2 home runs and a .316 OBP.
While New York is still holding out hope of Stanton returning before June, the odds of that coming to fruition are increasingly grim. Unfortunately for New York, as with the void in the rotation, there aren’t any compelling options right now available who could step in and replace Stanton’s production. That will change in July, when Stanton could still be sidelined.
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