EXPLORED: Can Giancarlo Stanton Stay Hot For The Yankees After Injury Return?

Yankees, Giancarlo Stanton

Robert Sabo for the NY Post

New York Yankees Giancarlo Stanton, a former NL MVP and one of the most powerful hitters in baseball saw his major league career decline due to repeated injuries in the lower half of his body. Due to his bulky figure, Stanton often rips the muscles and nerves of his legs while running on the bases.

This has been a trend that followed into the 2024 season as well as Giancarlo Stanton got sidelined with a hamstring injury last month. His rehab since then has been on schedule and the hitter is expected to return by the end of July. However, the fear of Stanton’s form taking a hit due to injury break is hurting the Yankees.

   

Giancarlo Stanton Close To Return, But Yankees Are Losing Confidence

Giancarlo Stanton makes a sliding catch during Yankees’ practice on Friday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

The New York Yankees traded Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins with high hopes, as the slugger had just fetched an MVP award. However, several injury concerns scared his career as Stanton never took off after the MVP season. He is still owed around $30 million, and hence, the Yanks have no option but to back him until 2026. Notably, he started the season with a .246 batting average, .795 OPS and 18 home runs in 69 games before landing on IL with a hamstring injury. Despite having no timeline in place, Stanton continues to ramp up his rehab and is expected to be match-ready by the end of the month.

However, the New York Yankees aren’t sure if Giancarlo Stanton will be able to retain his pre-injury form. In 2023, the slugger was hitting .269 with a .854 OPS through 13 games before missing six weeks on IL. Upon return, Stanton scored .179 with a .670 OPS in 88 games as he finished with a career-worst season. Not only that, the designated hitter had a similar trajectory in the 2022 season as well. Hence, the club’s reservations about Stanton’s resurgence post-injury are understandable. However, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone still has some sort of faith left in his designated hitter. He said the team missed him the past weeks and that he is looking forward to having him back on the roster soon. Notably, Stanton could be placed back as clean-up hitter or fifth slot in the lineup as a designated hitter.

Yankees Activate J.D David From IL; Jon Berti Suffers A Setback

Getty Images

In a detailed injury report shared by New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, J.D Davis has been activated from IL as he recovered from a stomach flu. However, on the other hand, infielder Jon Berti suffered a setback with a left calf strain during the All-Star break in Tampa. He will need a second PRP injection this weekend.

Meanwhile, Anthony Rizzo’s progress has been slow. He isn’t able to do a lot of baseball activities due to an arm fracture. Interestingly, Jose Trevino’s progress from the Grade 2 quad strain has been good as he began running progression. Also, starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt will throw a 20-pitch long bullpen session this weekend in his recovery from a lat strain.

Stay tuned to Sports News International for more such updates about your favorite MLB team.

Exit mobile version