The Yankees formally introduced that Giancarlo Stanton received’t be accessible for the beginning of the season, because the slugger might be positioned on the injured listing because of his recurring elbow points. The 2017 NL MVP Stanton obtained PRP injections in each elbows, and is anticipated to return to the crew’s spring camp later this week after coping with an unspecified private matter in New York.
The announcement doesn’t come as any shock, as Stanton hasn’t swung a bat in 5 or 6 weeks because of continued soreness in his elbows. Two weeks in the past, Stanton and supervisor Aaron Boone described the issue as much like tennis elbow, with Stanton noting that some tendon harm had taken place. Whereas surgical procedure wasn’t being thought of, surgical procedure would naturally develop into an possibility (or inevitable) within the occasion of an precise tendon tear, which is why Stanton mentioned he and the crew have been being cautious of their method to the accidents.
No timetable was introduced for Stanton’s restoration, however in all probability the tip of April would signify a best-case state of affairs for the five-time All-Star to make his 2025 debut. A while might be wanted to judge Stanton’s elbows within the aftermath of the PRP therapy, and if all is nicely, he’d then want to begin his normal ramp-up proceedings after lacking a lot of each spring coaching and even his pre-camp offseason work. Given Stanton’s lengthy historical past of leg-related accidents, he’ll want some prep time past simply hitting work, even when he’s going to be a DH-only participant this season.
Accidents have lengthy hampered Stanton’s profession, and saved from totally delivering on the whopping 13-year, $325M contract he signed with the Marlins again in November 2014. There’s nonetheless $96M owed to Stanton within the last three assured years of that deal, counting the $10M, although the Yankees are solely answerable for masking $66M of that determine as per the phrases of the commerce that introduced Stanton from Miami to New York in December 2017.
Stanton has been fairly productive (.241/.323/.483 with 162 dwelling runs in 2,776 plate appearances) throughout his time within the pinstripes, and has can nonetheless appeared like considered one of baseball’s most harmful hitters once in a while. Nevertheless, these red-hot streaks have been countered by each prolonged slumps, and a number of other occasions when Stanton has merely been unable to play because of harm.
The 2024 season noticed Stanton miss about 5 weeks because of a hamstring pressure, although he bounced again fairly nicely from a down 12 months in 2023. Stanton hit .233/.298/.475 with 27 dwelling runs in 459 PA final season, which translated to a 116 wRC+ even when low common and on-base numbers proceed to be a priority. The slugger then elevated his recreation in October, hitting .273/.339/.709 with seven homers over 62 PA throughout New York’s playoff run, and he captured ALCS MVP honors for his big efficiency within the Yankees’ five-game elimination of the Guardians.
Following up that nice postseason with one more vital harm is undoubtedly an enormous frustration for Stanton as he enters his sixteenth MLB marketing campaign (and his age-35 season). The truth that these elbow issues are a wholly new harm for Stanton could possibly be considered in considered one of two methods — both as a optimistic that he isn’t once more coping with leg issues, or as a damaging that Stanton is now coping with elbow points on prime of the ever-present concern over his decrease physique.
With Stanton out, the Yankees would possibly simply choose to fill the designated hitter spot with a rotation of gamers, with a purpose to unfold round at-bats and partial relaxation days for different veterans like Aaron Decide, Paul Goldschmidt or DJ LeMahieu. By way of general roster building, Ben Rice now appears to have a greater likelihood of creating the Opening Day roster, and selecting up some DH at-bats himself.
An exterior addition can also’t be dominated out, if Stanton is dealing with an prolonged period of time on the IL. Stories have already indicated the Yankees have been in contact with J.D. Martinez, maybe laying some groundwork for a future contract in case Stanton isn’t making a lot progress in a few weeks’ time. Including a outstanding veteran like Martinez, nevertheless, would additionally threaten to push the Yankees’ even additional excessive luxury-tax tire — RosterResource tasks New York’s tax quantity at roughly $305.1M, and past the higher penalty threshold of $301M.
