Yankees hoping to have Giancarlo Stanton back in 6 weeks; Carlos Rodon’s back still bothering him

BRONX — The Yankees will be without slugger Giancarlo Stanton for at least a month, Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed on Tuesday. 

Stanton suffered a left hamstring strain in Saturday’s win over the Minnesota Twins and an MRI revealed the following day revealed a Grade 2 strain, according to multiple reports. Boone said that he hoped to have Stanton back in six weeks.

“That’s kind of what it’s looking like,” Boone said before Tuesday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels. “Early couple of days here, he’s doing well. Able to do some things, so we’ll just let it play out how it does and look forward to getting him back. In the meantime just create some opportunities for other people to hopefully step up and fill the void.”

Stanton had been hitting the ball well before the injury. He had four home runs in 54 plate appearances and was slashing .269/.296/.558 before the injury. 

His four homers are second to Aaron Judge’s five on the Yankees roster this season. 

Stanton is on his seventh IL stint dating back to 2019 in something that has become all too familiar for the Yankees and the slugger. He was originally placed on the 10-day IL on Sunday and the Bombers called up Oswald Peraza in a corresponding move. 

Peraza started in the Yankees lineup at second base on Tuesday and the injury to Stanton creates ample opportunity for a mix of players to get at-bats in the designated hitter spot. Gleyber Torres found himself in the DH spot, which could also see Aaron Judge, Willie Calhoun, Frenchy Cordero and Aaron Hicks used there. 

It also opens the door for DJ LeMahieu in a run-producing spot in the lineup.

“You could see that some, yeah,” Boone said when asked about it. “That’s certainly possible. Yeah, so it’s that way again today. We’ll see. But yeah, potentially like that.” 

Stanton wasn’t the only injury news that the Yankees skipper addressed. Injured pitcher Carlos Rodon threw on Monday, but Boone revealed that his back was “still barking on him a little still.” 

The Yankees are trying to get his back issue calmed down. Rodon started the year on the IL with a forearm strain and started dealing with the back issue more recently.

Boone said that he will undergo some tests on his back. 

Rodon had been signed in December by the Yankees and was expected to be the No. 2 man in the rotation after Gerrit Cole. The 30-year-old appeared in just one spring training start in which he threw just two innings and allowed five runs on six hits along with two home runs. 

“I think it’s frustrating for him certainly,” Boone said about the situation. “Again, the elbow is good. I don’t think this is any big deal other than a nuisance that’s slowing him a little bit. We definitely know he’s going to be worth the wait. We just want to make sure he’s good to go and when that time comes.”