Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton tweaked his calf while running the bases this week, manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Stanton has been on the IL with a calf strain since late April. He was nearing a return to the team, potentially as soon as next week, but that may no longer be the case, per Boone.
It’s a tough development for a New York lineup that is already without reigning MVP Aaron Judge and has just lost Trent Grisham. Stanton’s continued absence solidifies the playing time for Paul Goldschmidt. The veteran played a part-time role at first base when Stanton was healthy, but has stepped into everyday reps with him sidelined. Ben Rice has slid from first base to DH with Stanton sidelined.
Stanton was off to a relatively slow start in the power department (three HRs), but he had delivered league-average results overall (101 wRC+). The 36-year-old had a .724 OPS through 24 games before the calf issue popped up. Stanton returned to the outfield last season after strictly DHing in 2024. He made 18 starts on defense. Stanton hasn’t played the outfield yet this season, and the calf injury makes it unlikely he’ll spend much time out there any time soon.
Persistent health issues have been a theme for Stanton this decade. He hasn’t reached 500 plate appearances since 2021. Achilles, hamstring, and elbow injuries have cost him time over the past four years. The right calf isn’t a new problem. Stanton strained it in 2021 and 2022, as well.
It’s unclear when Stanton might resume his recovery process. Boone mentioned that additional imaging on his injured calf might be needed after this setback. The Stanton, Judge, and Grisham injuries should provide plenty of runway for young outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. Dominguez returned from a shoulder injury today. He launched a solo home run off Kevin Gausman in his first at-bat.
Photo courtesy of David Butler II, Imagn Images
Wow
What a shock.(Insert eye roll here).
Water is not wet. It’s a liquid that mashes things that comes into contact with become wet.
Ever notice how much faster the guys making league minimum get back. Players get these mega deals and know they don’t have to
Thats kind of an unfair comp…there are 1% of players with “mega deals” vs the 99% of more or less average to league min guys so by volume alone the argument is flawed
No. It’s not actually a thing. Guys making the league min are typically much younger and naturally heal faster.
Ever notice that most of the guys with big deals are older and their bodies don’t rebound from injuries as fast, or that guys playing for small money are often young and can rebound more quickly from those same injuries.
Lufbro it’s obvious to most except for the know everything commentators on here. Their job is to act like you have no idea what you’re talking about and reply to your comment like you’re stupid. I will say Stanton will never be right and he’s a sunk cost at this point. This guy has been getting hurt for how many years now?
Shadow..you kind of did the same to those commenting lol…hello pot?
Good thing they let Grichuk and his .316, 6HR in 27 games go.
Yea cause grichuk would be playing DH right?
I still can’t get past the fact that he injured himself jogging to second on a walk.
Well yeah, because he didn’t jog to first. That’s 90 feet. Jogging to second is 120 feet and you have to jog over the mound. Of course it’s more challenging.
He’s got a lower body that will continuously give him trouble and his elbows are shot. It really becomes a matter of how much pain tolerance he can take for him to return from his IL stints.
Steroids are bad kids… He’s a stand-up guy and good presence in the clubhouse but his body is in full revolt. Sad looking at his WAR the last year with the Marlins and his totals with the Yankees there damn close to the same number.
Reminds me when Chris Brown asked out of the lineup because he slept on his eyelid wrong
Gotta wonder what this dude’s career numbers would look like if he didn’t deal with so many injuries. Hopefully he gets back sooner than later.
Stanton could injure himself wiping his @$$.
If he’s physically capable of doing so.
Not sure anyone would be shocked to hear.
Stanton is done for the year. Weathers is next. That guy gets hurt running to the bathroom.
He can run?
Pretty soon, signs will say…
‘Break Stanton ONLY in case of an emergency’
Big setback for the third highest paid player on the Marlins payroll.
After this season just $15 million more owed by the Yankees. Time to eat the rest and move on?
Why would they do that?? Insurance, if any, can cover his IL stints. To free up a 40-man roster spot, they can retroactively place him on the 60-Day IL.
Why wouldn’t they? They did worse with Jacoby Ellsbury. Stanton is an injury liability clogging up a roster spot and could then move forward without having to worry about when his legs/body will let him down.
I am starting to think that Stanton’s Injuries are related to too much steroid use when he was younger. It’s not like they guy is out of shape he is just brittle and that’s one of the side effects of steroid use early
Mr glass
He’s out for the season. Mark it down now.
Probably won’t see him again this year. Unlikely to be a season next year. Stanton has probably played his last game. On a hall of fame pace with the Marlins, injuries have derailed that with the Yankees.
A question for my fellow baseball friends. If Stanton ends up with over 500 home runs, is he Hall of Fame material? It seems to me that it’s going to be a tough call.
No for me. He became so limited for the 2nd half of his career. All those games as a DH with mediocre production sucked the life out of his HOF candidacy.
If he gets to 500 probably.