New York Yankees lead hitter Giancarlo Stanton has been placed on a 10-day IL due to a left hamstring strain.
Giancarlo Stanton, the dominant slugger of the New York Yankees, has been no stranger to the injured list (IL) throughout his career. In fact, it has become somewhat of an annual tradition for Stanton to miss extended periods of time due to various injuries, especially lower body injuries. This year, the DH has marked his fifth anniversary on the injury list.
Last week, Giancarlo Stanton got replaced by a pinch runner in the latter half of the game against Minnesota Twins. Further, he did not resume the game, which left the fans guessing. A day later, the Yankee fans’ worst fears came through as the management made an official announcement. Apparently, the DH strained his left hamstring and will spend significant time on IL. However, the Yankees use this to their advantage. Read on to learn how.
Giancarlo Stanton’s Injury Opened Up New Experiment Door For The Yankees
Undoubtedly, Giancarlo Stanton’s unfortunate injury has come as a big blow to the New York Yankees. Stanton showed flashes of his MVP season form by hitting four towering homers this year. However, the lower body injuries continue to mar his growth. Nonetheless, the Yankees must move past it and devise an alternate plan. On a positive front, the hitter’s injury might prove to be a blessing in disguise. The Yankees’ new rookie, Anthony Volpe, has been struggling down the order in the offense.
However, ever since he took the leadoff position in the absence of DJ LeMahieu, who missed three games due to quad tightness, the shortstop has shown his real potential. He hit his first career homer and continued to steal stellar bases. Hence, with Stanton moving to IL, DJ will likely get promoted to the DH spot. It’s the ideal choice for the Yankees as LeMahieu is highly prone to injuries, and moving him to DH could reduce his vulnerability. On the other hand, Volpe has been excelling in the leadoff spot. He likes to perform under pressure, and those early and extra at-bats could help in gaining more experience. Hence, in an ideal world, the Yankees shall move DJ to DH and Volpe to leadoff to generate the best offense out of the lineup.
Harrison Bader Inching Closer To Return
Giancarlo Stanton is out for at least 4-6 weeks due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. In the meantime, the New York Yankees outfielder could get the necessary boost as center fielder Harrison Bader is inching closer to a return. Bader entered IL for an indefinite period due to an oblique strain just a week before the 2023 season opening day,
However, the center fielder has been making excellent progress in rehab and has gone through multiple workout sessions. Moreover, Bader feels he is ticking all the necessary boxes in the workout session. If all things go well, his return is just around the corner. Harrison Bader’s return could provide much-needed depth to the Yankees outfield, which is depleting at an alarming rate.
