Giancarlo Stanton has only played nine games in 2019 for the New York Yankees, but he’s “making progress” towards his eventual return.
The New York Yankees are in first place on Aug. 14 despite missing some of the heavy hitters in their lineup this season. Perhaps no loss was as big as Giancarlo Stanton.
The former National League MVP is currently on the injured list with a PCL strain. However, manager Aaron Boone said Stanton is running “75-80%” on an anti-gravity machine, per Dan Martin of the New York Post. Boone also mentioned that Stanton will start running outside when he reaches 90%.
While Stanton has yet to match the ridiculous production he put forth with the Miami Marlins, he’s played well for the Yanks when healthy.
In 2018, Stanton belted 38 home runs, drove in 100 runs, and posted an .852 OPS. That was far from the best season of Stanton’s career, but finishing with 100 RBIs is quite the feat nonetheless.
The Yankees are hoping that Stanton can return for a postseason run. On the bright side for the Yankees, Stanton’s replacements are having the best year of their careers.
There’s no doubt that guys like Mike Tauchman, Brett Gardner, and Cameron Maybin have stepped up in a big way this season. All three players are posting career-highs in OPS while playing above-average outfield defense.
Despite missing Stanton for most of the season, the Yankees are still running away with the AL East. Entering Aug 14., New York held a nine-game lead over the second-place Tampa Bay Rays.
Barring a major collapse, the Yankees are on their way to their third-straight postseason berth and first AL East title since 2012.
