The New York Yankees may soon count on the return of one of their most powerful bats, as Giancarlo Stanton continues to make steady progress in his recovery from bilateral elbow discomfort. The designated hitter took live batting practice for the first time Tuesday and followed it up with another productive session on Wednesday, raising hopes for a return before the end of May, according to The Post‘s Greg Joyce.
Now 35, Stanton has battled persistent elbow pain since spring training. Although he was transferred to the 60-day injured list — making him ineligible to return before May 23 — signs point to a potential activation shortly after that date. Given his role as a designated hitter, the Yankees may choose to bypass an extended rehab assignment, as they’ve done in previous seasons.
Instead, the club relies on advanced simulation tools like the Trajekt pitching machine, which replicates real MLB pitch movement, in addition to live BP. Still, Stanton suggested he may consider brief game action depending on which teammates are also rehabbing and available for intrasquad scenarios.
Stanton’s message
While the team has refrained from offering a firm timetable, Stanton himself made it clear that once he’s on the field, there’s no holding back. “If I’m out there, I’m good enough to play,” he told reporters, according to The Post. “There’s no levels of anything else.”
Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Yankees managing Stanton’s workload carefully
Manager Aaron Boone emphasized the importance of Stanton’s readiness, stating, “When G.’s in there, he’s ready to go. He’s not going to be in the lineup unless he feels he can be a real impact bat for us.” Boone also noted that offseason adjustments might help Stanton better manage the physical toll. “He was handling it well down the stretch last year, and hopefully we’ve done enough to support him physically for this season.”
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Loaisiga nears return as bullpen reinforcement
Meanwhile, Jonathan Loaisiga is inching closer to rejoining the Yankees’ bullpen. The right-hander, now over a year removed from UCL surgery, looked sharp during his latest rehab outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, firing two scoreless innings on just 19 pitches and striking out two.
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Barring any setbacks, Loaisiga is scheduled to pitch again on Sunday and Tuesday, with back-to-back appearances planned for next weekend. “He looks great,” Boone said. “I’ve been excited about Lo since spring. He’s been progressing the way we hoped, and if he finishes strong, we’ll be in a good place with him.”
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