Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton will continue to get field work after IL stint

The Yankees treated Giancarlo Stanton like a fine piece of porcelain his first three seasons in the Bronx when it came to playing him in the field.

That had something to do with the series of physical ailments the slugger suffered in that time. But it was equally in part because the Yankees feared Stanton would get hurt in the field, despite him being considered a solid, and at times better than that, outfielder during his first eight seasons in the big leagues with the Marlins.

But the Yankees at last gave Stanton extended time in field the second half of last season and, not coincidentally according to the player, there was an uptick in his offensive numbers.

Aaron Boone said Wednesday that when Stanton returns from the IL — he was put there May 23 with a right calf strain — his use in the field will not be affected.

“I view him similar to how I’ve used him throughout the season,” said Boone, adding later he believes Stanton will come off the IL either the day he’s eligible — which is Saturday — or a day or two after. “I’ve already talked to him about that, and I think we’re on the same page as far as that goes.”

Stanton, hitting .285 with 11 homers and an .862 OPS, has played in the outfield in 19 of his 40 games.

“Once he’s ready to come back, obviously there will be a lot of DH days,” Boone said. “And he and I do, I feel like, a good job of communicating with one another like ‘hey, I’ve got you in the outfield tomorrow.’ Usually we’re on the same page with it. Sometimes he’ll say, ‘I probably need a DH day tomorrow.’ We have a pretty good line of communication when it comes to that.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.