Yankees' Aaron Boone says there's a 'good chance' that Giancarlo Stanton will play the outfield on Saturday
Giancarlo Stanton in the Yankees' dugout on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The news of the flexor strain in Aaron Judge's right elbow surfaced on July 26.
The next two weeks went as expected. Judge returned to the Yankees’ lineup as a designated hitter Tuesday after spending 10 days on the injured list, but his return to rightfield remained — and still remains — uncertain.
At the time of Judge’s injury, manager Aaron Boone said it was possible that usual DH Giancarlo Stanton could return to the outfield — a curious move for an oft-injured player, but one that would provide much-needed lineup flexibility.
Before Friday night’s series opener against the Astros at the Stadium, Boone confirmed that likely will be the case. He said there is a “good chance” that Stanton, who has not worn a glove in a game since playing leftfield on Sept. 14, 2023, will be in the outfield Saturday afternoon.
“Good,” Boone said of how Stanton has looked in workouts. “More importantly, when I talk to him, just how he thinks it's going. Does he feel like he can go out there and be representative and stuff like that? Those are more of my conversations, and G's usually brutally honest in those situations. So I think he's feeling good about where he's at and the week he's had out there.
“Talking to Luis [Rojas, who works with the outfielders], it feels like it's gone better each time. So hopefully get through today and having him play tomorrow.”
Lefthander Framber Valdez, against whom Stanton is 5-for-14 with a homer, is set to start for Houston on Saturday.
Stanton, who missed the first 70 games of the season with tendon tears in both elbows, has a .268/.340/.528 slash line, 10 home runs and 28 RBIs in 37 games. Boone said there has been no issue with his elbows, and Rojas — who has been working with Stanton in the field — said Stanton has not expressed any concern with it.
“He wants to be a player for us on the defensive side,” Rojas said. “He's excited to show that he can do it out there. You can see it.”
Rojas said his confidence level in Stanton has increased throughout this ramp-up period.
“He knows himself very well,” Rojas said. “You’re talking about a veteran player here, so we've been just planning day-to-day. ‘What are you doing today?’ He tells me indoors, and we come out. And he actually extends it. Like he's been extending his workout, like asking for more reps. So today we stayed right after BP was done, he actually stayed, wanted to do some more light fungo reps. He's moving good.”
On Wednesday, Judge tested his elbow for the first time since his injury by having a catch with Stanton in the outfield. He threw again Friday.
Stanton, 35, has had at least one IL stint in each of the previous seven seasons, and Boone said he will have limited range. Boone added that he has “always been a quality outfielder” and thinks “he'll make the plays that need to be made.”
“We wouldn't put him in a situation where we felt like there was big-time risk,” Boone said. “That said, the game can happen, anything's possible. I do feel like, physically, he's in a good place to go out and do it on a limited basis. And that's why we've kind of spent the week, 10 days, kind of ramping it up and seeing how he's doing with it, seeing how he feels about it. Again, he's usually very blunt and honest about if he feels like he can do it or not, so it's never risk-free. But [I] do feel like he should be in position to handle it on a limited basis.”
Notes & quotes: Outfielder Austin Slater’s left hamstring injury is a “mid-level strain” and he should be out four to six weeks . . . Righthander Fernando Cruz (left oblique strain) and lefthander Ryan Yarbrough (right oblique strain) will face hitters in Somerset, New Jersey, on Sunday. It is possible that Yarbrough, who faced hitters Thursday, could start his rehab assignment Sunday, but Boone said they are leaning toward another live batting practice session . . . Boone said the hope was for righthander Jonathan Loaisiga (back tightness) to throw Friday . . . Boone said he thinks the date for ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) to start throwing is “soon,” but he did not have a specific date.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
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