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NEW YORK — We’ve all lost track of how long Giancarlo Stanton has been on the injured list, just as we’ve stopped counting how many times we’ve been told he’s “getting closer.”
But here we go again.
Stanton is finally running the bases in his rehab drills, according to manager Aaron Boone.
The cynic in you says this is just one more tease. Stanton has been dealing with a calf strain for three and a half months. Why would anything change now?
But there’s a flip side to that cynicism. It’s the sliver of hope that remembers what Stanton can do in October. The Yankees’ offense will need all the help it can get — not just in the playoffs, but in the long-shot possibility of catching the first-place Rays in the final 43 games.
So maybe you’re ready to take the plunge and believe Stanton can play a role in rescuing the Yankees. Despite Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Seattle, Boone has been trying to awaken what was once the American League’s top-ranked offense in April and May.
It feels like a lifetime ago. Since June 1, a day after Aaron Judge finally stopped trying to play through a fractured rib, the Yankees are last in the majors in batting average (.217), 28th out of 30 in OPS (.670), and 25th in slugging percentage (.385).
“It’s been a struggle,” Boone said of life without Judge, Stanton and Cody Bellinger (hamstring) all on the IL. That’s three former MVP award winners sitting in the trainer’s room.
No firm return dates have been announced, but Stanton’s situation is the most complicated.
Judge (right field) and Bellinger (left field) will immediately reclaim their spots. Stanton, however, will be a part-time designated hitter. His only at-bats will be against left-handed pitching.
Stanton has 456 career home runs and will be remembered for the seven home runs he slugged in the 2024 postseason — including four in 18 at-bats against Cleveland in the ALCS. But the Yankees have moved on during Stanton’s absence this year.
They now have three first basemen: Ben Rice, Luis Garcia and Paul Goldschmidt, who is a part-time player himself.
Goldschmidt, who is already splitting time at DH, will likely have to share more at-bats with Stanton, who is also right-handed. And the ratio will become more unfavorable for Stanton when Judge is finally activated. Judge will be a semi-regular DH while he transitions back to his usual spot in right field.
With just one guaranteed year left on his contract, Stanton could be released after the 2026 season. He’s owed $25 million next year, but the Yankees’ liability would be limited to $15 million. The Marlins are on the hook for the other $10 million in 2027 as well as the $10 million buyout of his contract in 2028.
Stanton is a serious, unemotional veteran who understands the cold nature of the industry. I doubt he would take it personally if owner Hal Steinbrenner cut him loose. Stanton would instead see a release through the lens of a businessman dealing with a sunk cost.
Earlier this summer, Stanton and I discussed the run of bad luck that’s blemished his Yankees career. Incredibly, Stanton has been on the IL 14 times since 2018. He’s missed a total of 838 games.
“I can’t say I’m not human, or that I’m not as frustrated as ever. But I have a duty to the guys in this room,” Stanton said.
“I’ve got to come in here with positivity and help put my teammates in a good spot. It’s all I can do right now. At the end of the day, it’s ‘what can we do to win every night.’ It’s not about my feelings.”
Stanton won’t complain about how little Boone might use him.
Stanton hasn’t been able to explain why he’s been hurt so often and why his calf has been so slow to heal. But the slugger feels like he owes the franchise gratitude for its patience and faith.
Boone, in turn, is already thinking of ways to maximize Stanton’s potential. Even if it means giving him one or two starts a week — say, 10 at-bats against southpaws — any production from Stanton would boost an anemic offense.
“Several weeks now, it’s been difficult for us scoring runs. We know that,” Boone said.
“To be the team we expect and want to be, we know we’ve got to get better offensively, and hopefully we will, not only with the guys we have now, but hopefully, as we go, getting some guys back.”
Boone can dream of a fully loaded lineup with Judge, Stanton and Bellinger all healthy again. But it might already be too late.
MORE BY BOB KLAPISCH
Yankees’ optimism about October chilled by one cold, hard fact | KlapischAug. 11, 2026, 2:12 p.m.
Ailing Tommy John says goodbye to Yankees in shocking note to Old TimersAug. 9, 2026, 7:15 a.m.
The Rays, who’ve won eight straight, hold a six-game lead in the AL East. With the tiebreaker in their favor, Tampa Bay’s advantage over the Yankees is effectively seven games.
That means the Yankees will be jockeying for the most favorable wild-card slot. Hardly ideal, but it’s not hopeless.
Stanton might just have the last laugh on you, the cynic. Don’t bet against his track record.
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