BRONX, NY — New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton took batting practice and did some light running drills on Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, suggesting that his rehab from a strained left hamstring is inching toward completion.
Do not hold your breath for a return during their next series against the Boston Red Sox, though, at least according to Aaron Boone.
“I don’t want to say no, but I don’t know,” Boone said on Wednesday before the conclusion of the 2024 Subway Series. “I’m not necessarily expecting it.”
The 34-year-old hit the 10-day injured list on June 23 with an injury that hampered him last year, among a laundry list of other ailments over the previous few seasons. It threw a wrench into what had been a bounceback season, batting .246 with a .795 OPS, 18 home runs, and 45 RBI in 69 games.
His absence has helped to create a massive void in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup, which was put on full display Tuesday night in a 3-2 loss against the Mets. Aaron Judge was walked four times in a row in order to pitch to either JD Davis or Ben Rice — the duo unable to record a hit in the process to make their rivals pay.
A healthy Stanton with his power extends the lineup a bit more while providing some form of protection for Judge and Juan Soto in the process.
During Stanton’s absence, the Yankees were 8-16 entering Wednesday night while being held to three or fewer runs 11 times during that stretch.
