Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is expected to return to playing games by the end of next week, though it’s still undecided if he will first need a stint in the minor leagues to recover from his injury.
Stanton injured his left hamstring while running the bases on June 22 and has been sidelined since. This marks the eighth time in six years that he has been on the injured list.
“I just need to have a few more good days,” Stanton said before a 9-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday. “If I have a few good days this week, we’ll decide by the end of next week.”
He has missed 21 games this season and has been absent for 266 out of 708 games over the past five seasons (38%).
“It’s all about building up stamina and doing it day after day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained. “He feels really good now, but we need him to get enough practice so he’s fully prepared when he returns. It’s about having consecutive good days.”
Boone was unsure if Stanton would need to play some minor league games first.
“Right now, the level of practice he can do speeds up his recovery,” Boone noted. “Since he doesn’t need to build up stamina for playing nine innings in the field, there’s some uncertainty.”
Stanton has played in 69 of the Yankees’ first 79 games this season, but only as a designated hitter, with a batting average of .246, 18 home runs, and 45 RBIs. The Yankees have won only seven of the 21 games Stanton has missed.
“It’s tough just being out, and even tougher not being able to help the team, especially during a rough patch,” Stanton said.
On Saturday, right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt threw in the bullpen for the first time since straining his right lat muscle on May 26. He is expected to return to the team in late August or early September.
“It’s another positive step for him,” Boone said.
Right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker won’t be able to throw for another three or four weeks after straining a muscle in his side on July 11 while playing for Triple-A Scranton. He was on a rehab assignment following Tommy John surgery in April 2023.