The Yankees are facing growing uncertainty about when Giancarlo Stanton will be back in action. While it was originally believed that he was simply dealing with elbow pain, he flew to New York to address a personal matter unrelated to his lingering injury issues. The public remains unaware of what exactly he’s dealing with, but at this point, it’s becoming clear that Stanton’s absence could stretch well into the season.
No Timetable for a Return
Stanton has yet to ramp up his baseball activities, and with Opening Day approaching, his availability for the start of the season looks increasingly doubtful. Even Yankees captain Aaron Judge acknowledged that Stanton could be out for a while and hinted that he’d prefer for him to take his time rather than rush back at less than full strength.
“We’ll see what the doctors say about what’s going on. I’ve been checking with him every day, talking to him. We went out to dinner. He’s got a positive mindset with everything. … I want a healthy G in the middle of the season.”
Judge makes a valid point. The Yankees would much rather have a fully healthy Stanton for the stretch run than risk him returning too soon and suffering a setback. Given his history of injuries, taking the conservative approach may be the best course of action.
Who Fills the DH Role in the Meantime?
Without Stanton, the Yankees are left scrambling for answers at designated hitter. The internal options aren’t particularly exciting, but they’ll have to find a temporary solution.
Ben Rice is an intriguing candidate, given his power potential from the left side, but he’s still adjusting to major league pitching. Everson Pereira has flashed some upside but has major strikeout concerns, making him far from a sure bet. Beyond them, the Yankees don’t have many appealing alternatives, so they’re hoping someone steps up this spring to seize the opportunity.
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The Yankees have the depth to stay afloat without Stanton for now, but replacing his raw power won’t be easy. If the situation lingers longer than expected, they may have to explore outside options to keep their lineup from losing too much pop.