Here’s an up-to-date tracker on the Yankees‘ injuries…
Feb. 16, 2:13 p.m.
When the Yankees hold their first full-squad workout of spring camp on Monday, their veteran designated hitter won’t be participating with full health.
While speaking to reporters on Sunday, manager Aaron Boone revealed that slugger Giancarlo Stanton is “a little behind” in his ramp-up due to discomfort in both elbows that dates back to last season, and his current status for Opening Day is “tough to say.”
“Both elbows, really akin to tennis elbow, that he maintained and kind of played through, especially in the second half of the year,” Boone said. “We want to make sure to give that as much time, so we’ll probably slow-play him a little bit… It’s just something that we don’t want to rush if we can get to a really good spot, and know we’ll probably have to deal with some maintenance with it throughout the year. But just don’t want to force something too early.”
The Yankees didn’t exactly enter last season with expectations of Stanton being an essential contributor, but the team wouldn’t have reached its first World Series since 2009 without the 35-year-old’s production at the plate. He mostly carried the lineup in October, hitting .273 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and nine runs across 14 postseason games. He also received ALCS MVP honors.
It’s not at all surprising that Stanton is already nursing injuries. Since joining the Yankees back in 2018, he’s played more than 130 regular-season games only twice. Last year, he spent five weeks on the injured list to due a hamstring issue.
Boone also noted that outfielder Trent Grisham pulled a hamstring a few weeks ago, but isn’t “too far behind” in his return to full baseball activities.
