Once again, the injury bug has bitten New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.
On Sunday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, per the Athletic's Chris Kirschner, that the slugger is battling something "akin to tennis elbow" in both arms. The manager didn't reveal if Stanton would be available for Opening Day on March 27.
"I don't know. We'll see. It's tough to say," Boone said. "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."
Boone said Stanton was dealing with this injury in the second half of last season and the postseason. However, it didn't seem to affect him. In 14 playoff games in 2024, he slashed .273/.339/.709 and set a franchise record for home runs in a single postseason (seven).
Even if Stanton is in the Yankees' lineup against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day, the injury could linger throughout the season. Boone believes it's "probably something that's chronic."
This is concerning news for the Yankees, as Stanton has battled multiple injuries over his past three seasons with the club. During this span, he has missed 161 regular-season games because of foot, hamstring and Achilles issues.
If Stanton misses a significant period of time with the elbow issue, that could be a massive impediment for the Yankees. Their roster doesn't look as strong this season after star right fielder Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765M deal with the New York Mets in free agency.
The Yankees could consider moving Aaron Judge from center fielder to designated hitter.
Trent Grisham, who had a .190 batting average in 76 regular-season games in 2024, could become New York's starting center fielder. Grisham has a hamstring issue, but Boone indicated he's healthier than Stanton.
As of Sunday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Yankees the second-best World Series odds (+700) behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (+240). However, they could have a slow start if the injury sidelines Stanton, a five-time All-Star.
