There’s optimism around Giancarlo Stanton’s return.
Two days after Stanton’s lack of a recovery timeline sparked concern, Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a positive outlook on the slugger’s rehab for a right calf strain.
“He’s in his running progression now,” Boone said before Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Bronx.
“I don’t have a timeline. I don’t know when he gets to the end of that, and then what we do to get him back, but I feel like he’s moving in a good direction. I just don’t know if that’s a couple weeks from now, a few weeks from now, whatever it is. But he is getting much closer to that point.”
Stanton hasn’t played since he injured his calf while running the bases on April 24. Amid his rehab, Stanton suffered a setback in mid-June when he re-injured the calf while running the bases at Yankee Stadium.
The situation captured considerable attention Monday when Boone said there was no timeline for Stanton’s return, but during an appearance Tuesday on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast, Boone clarified that the 36-year-old designated hitter is “actually doing pretty well.”
The manager expounded on that sentiment Wednesday.
“He’s a couple of weeks, now, into running, but he’s got to get to a point to where [he is] just getting to a certain speed point and then obviously bouncing back and recovering,” Boone said. “When that is, I can’t quite answer that. But he is running, so I think based on that, it shouldn’t be too far off.”
Stanton batted .256 with three home runs and a .724 OPS in 24 games before landing on the injured list.
He hit .273 with 24 home runs and a .944 OPS in 77 games last season, despite not making his 2025 debut until mid-June due to tennis elbow in both arms.
Stanton, who has a history of lower-body injuries, has not resumed running the bases, Boone said Wednesday. But Stanton has continued to hit during his absence.
The five-time All-Star often skips minor-league rehab assignments and thus could return directly to the Yankees’ lineup once he is cleared.
KEEPING UP WITH JONES
Spencer Jones was called up as the Yankees’ 27th man for Wednesday’s doubleheader.
The lefty-swinging slugger went directly from Triple-A to the No. 3 spot in the Yankees’ batting order, where was the designated hitter for the first game against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller.
Jones, one of the Yankees’ top prospects, entered Wednesday with a .233 average, two home runs and a .687 OPS in 73 big-league at-bats.
The 25-year-old boasts 14 homers and a .952 OPS with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he continues to work to improve his contact and strikeout rates.
“I feel like he’s gotten a lot better over the last 12, 14 months, [and] even into spring training and the first part of this year,” Boone said. “Obviously, having a couple of stints with us now, where I feel like he’s held his own and just continues to get better and more polished as a hitter.”
ROTATION PLANS
Will Warren (7-4, 4.03 ERA) is set to start Friday night’s series opener in Philadelphia.
The right-hander had been scheduled to pitch this past Tuesday. But when that game was rained out, the Yankees re-adjusted their pitching plans, opting to stick with Gerrit Cole for the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader and activate Max Fried (left elbow bone bruise) for the nightcap.
The Yankees are off Thursday.
Cam Schlittler (9-6, 2.20 ERA) is set to start Saturday and Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.40 ERA) is lined up for Sunday.