Yankees' Key Slugger 'Really Close' to Returning From Injury

The Yankees will have this integral player back just in time for the second half.

Jun 12, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with right fielder Juan Soto (22) after hitting a two run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It's only a matter of time before Giancarlo Stanton is penciled back into the lineup.

The New York Yankees' fearsome slugger was running the bases and hitting in the cage on Friday afternoon; he will also be participating in batting practice (with group 2) prior to New York's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"He's [doing] full baseball activities now," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Stanton's status. "We're getting to that point where he's really close. So we'll probably circle up and get a course of action this weekend, as far as if he's going to play in a rehab game or when that is. But he's definitely really close."

Giancarlo Stanton is running bases today pic.twitter.com/v5yIyHWOao

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) July 19, 2024

Stanton has been on the injured list since June 22, when he strained his left hamstring when running the bases. He was initially expected to miss four weeks, with possibly another to get himself game-ready; it appears the 34-year-old will return on schedule, as he's made consistent progress without any setbacks.

The Bronx Bombers would be getting Stanton back at the perfect time, as they are beginning the second half of the season with a 58-40 record; their remaining strength of schedule (according to FanGraphs) is the fourth-easiest in the majors and the easiest in the American League. Although they've largely sputtered since Stanton's injury (going 7-12), the Bronx Bombers still earned a huge series win over the division-leading Baltimore Orioles to enter the All-Star break. They currently trail Baltimore by just one game for first place in the AL East.

Coming off a poor 2023 season, Stanton has shown an impressive rejuvenation this year by hitting .246/.302/.492 with 18 home runs, 45 RBI, and a 124 wRC+ in 69 games. Prior to his injury, he had a 10-game hitting streak that included four multi-hit games, nine RBI, and a 1.088 OPS.

Even if Stanton gets off to a slow start when he comes off the IL, his presence alone makes the Yankees' lineup significantly better as the batter in front of him (typically Alex Verdugo against righties and Aaron Judge against lefties) usually gets better pitches to hit due to his fearsome power. That presence is something New York will need if they want to thrive down the stretch.