BOSTON – As the Yankees filtered into Fenway Park on Friday, Giancarlo Stanton enjoyed a light workout and a recovery day at Yankee Stadium.
There was a chance that Stanton was going to make his season debut against the Red Sox this weekend, as the designated hitter didn’t rule it out on Tuesday. However, Aaron Boone pumped the brakes on that possibility.
“I’m not necessarily expecting him to play this weekend, but stranger things have happened,” he said before the series-opener.
The expectation is that Stanton, who missed all of spring training with tennis elbows, is going to play in another rehab game on Saturday, likely at Double-A Somerset. That’s not set in stone though.
Stanton played in three straight games for Somerset between Tuesday and Thursday. He went 3-for-11 with one double, four RBI, one walk and two strikeouts in his first games since the 2024 World Series.
Boone said he’s been “pleased” with what he’s seen from Stanton’s rehab assignment so far.
“His at-bats look good,” the manager said. “He’s very detailed and particular about how he feels. He feels like his timing is pretty good right now and that he feels up to speed on the fastball and things like that.
“Some of the at-bats I’ve seen, I feel like he’s recognizing balls out of the zone and things like that, and he looks strong to me when he lets go.”
Boone added that he’s only communicated with Stanton “a little bit” this week, and they haven’t spoken much about how the slugger’s elbows feel.
Stanton has made it known that he expects to play through pain moving forward.
“I think he’s in a good place physically,” Boone said. “It’s now just about amassing the reps and building the endurance.”
With Stanton returning soon, his lack of use in the outfield will throw a wrinkle into the Yankees’ lineup construction.
Ben Rice has been the team’s primary DH with Stanton out, but he’s expected to get some starts behind the plate going forward. The Yankees have only used him as a receiver late in blowout games so far in his big league career, but he’s impressed the organization — notably director of catching Tanner Swanson — with his daily work behind the scenes and limited in-game reps.
A natural catcher who has earned consistent at-bats this season, the lefty-swinging Rice can also play first. So Stanton’s return could cut into the right-handed Paul Goldschmidt’s playing time.
Boone said he won’t deploy straight platoons once the right-handed Stanton joins the Yankees, who also have four starting-caliber outfielders for three spots. The skipper hasn’t had many conversations with his active players about playing time just yet, though he went over different scenarios with Stanton about a month ago.
“We’ll figure it out,” Boone said. “Having a lot of good players is a good thing.
“I think we’ll have great buy-in from our guys. I think that team in there, and especially where guys are in their career, they want to win. We’ll try to put everyone in the best position to be successful and also try to keep everyone sharp and regular. It doesn’t mean it’s going to be perfect, but we’ll do the best we can with it.”
It remains to be seen when Boone will have to start solving that puzzle, but it will be sooner than later.
He said that trainers will have input on when Stanton is ready, but “the biggest say is probably G’s now.”
JAZZ HELD OUT
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (groin) remained out of the Yankees’ lineup on Friday, but he said he was feeling “really good” and took grounders before the game. The third baseman planned on hitting as well.
Chisholm expects to be back in the lineup on Saturday, while Boone said the speedster could be available on Friday.
“I’m hoping and expecting him to be a bench option tonight,” Boone said.
Chisholm added that his neck and right thumb, which he banged up in the Yankees’ previous series against the Royals, are no longer bother him.
