Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is uncertain for Opening Day because of tendinitis in both elbows.
A five-time All-Star, the 35-year-old dealt with the issue last season and through the postseason, when he hit seven home runs as the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009.
Asked whether the issue could impact Stanton’s availability for the March 27 opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Aaron Boone responded: “Tough to say.”
“I’m not going to put any timeline on it. We’re just going to be smart with it and kind of listen to it a little bit,” he said Sunday. “I’m expecting him to be OK. It’s just a matter of when we’re going to start really rolling it out to feel like — give us the best chance to get as much of him as we can.”
In addition, outfielder Trent Grisham pulled his left hamstring a few weeks ago in training but is running at close to full speed.
“He shouldn’t be too far behind,” Boone said.
Boone made the announcements as position players reported ahead of Monday’s first full-squad workout.
“Giancarlo’s a little behind just dealing with some elbow stuff that he dealt with last year, actually both elbows kind of really akin to tennis elbow,” Boone said. “This is something that if we’re full bore in we’d be grinding away probably, but just want to make sure we give it the proper time and just give ourselves to be the best position throughout the year.”
Stanton has not played a season without a trip to the injured list since 2018.
Following the departure of Juan Soto, who left for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets, Stanton’s bat is key to support Yankees captain Aaron Judge in the batting order.
Boone anticipated the elbows will be seasonlong issues.
“Maintenance is just kind of treatment with the modalities that you have available you,” Boone said. “You play through some discomfort with it but just trying to maintain it the best you can and take advantage of those — when he does have an off day.”
Stanton signed a then-record $325 million, 13-year contract with the Marlins ahead of the 2015 season and had 59 homers and 132 RBIs in 2017, winning the NL MVP award. He was acquired by the Yankees that December and hit 38 homers with 100 RBIs in his first season with New York.
He missed 266 of 708 games over the next five seasons because of a series of injuries that included strains of right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (twice) and left quadriceps along with right ankle inflammation and left Achilles tendinitis.
Stanton arrived at spring training last February far slimmer and had 27 homers and 72 RBIs while playing 114 games; he was sidelined by a strained left hamstring between June 22 and July 29.
“A lot of people even forget about how good his regular season was and how productive he was and how important he was to us having — I think ultimately scoring the most runs in the league,” Boone said.
Stanton batted .273 with 16 RBIs in the postseason. He was exclusively a hitter last season and has not played the field since Sept. 9, 2023.
“He’s huge for us,” Boone said. “You take a big right-handed bat out there, you’re a little unbalanced there.”
Bench coach Brad Ausmus pulled a hamstring badly in a pickup basketball game Saturday, Boone said.
Boone referenced his own January 2004 injury, when he tore his left ACL in a pickup basketball game and missed the season — a mishap that motivated the Yankees to acquire Alex Rodriguez from Texas.
“Obviously I advise them not to do that, understandably, but he wanted to take his 55-year-old act out there anyway,” Boone said.
Asked whether he was on the other team, Boone responded: “Absolutely not.”
Ausmus is a former manager of the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Angels.
