Giancarlo Stanton
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees are getting some key bats back for the final two weeks of the abbreviated 2020 season.

The New York Yankees got some good news Tuesday as third baseman Gio Urshela and slugger Giancarlo Stanton were both reinstated from the injured list.

Joining Stanton and Urshela was right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga, who missed just over a week with an illness unrelated to COVID-19. To make room for the trio, the Yankees optioned Mike Ford and Miguel Andujar back to the alternate site.

The roster moves were announced on Twitter by the Yankees’ official PR team.

Urshela has not played since Sept. 3 due to a bone spur in his right elbow. He is batting .272 with six home runs and 23 RBI this year and will immediately boost the lineup not just with his bat, but his elite fielding.

Giancarlo Stanton, meanwhile, has dealt with another frustrating injury. He strained his hamstring in Tampa Bay back on Aug. 8 and has been rehabbing ever since. At the time of the injury, the former MVP was batting .293 with three home runs and seven RBI.

Loaisiga, whose versatility is his greatest asset, will continue to serve as a bullpen arm.

In a nutshell, this is great news for the Yankees. Tuesday marks the beginning of a critical three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, who hold second place in the AL East by just half a game. Should the Yankees move into second, their playoff berth would become automatic instead of having to fight for a wild card spot.

Conor Foley of The Scranton Times-Tribune also reported star outfielder Aaron Judge is hitting well in simulated games at the alternate site. Slowly but surely, complete with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees’ lineup is returning to top form.

Tuesday’s first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

Josh Benjamin has been a staff writer at ESNY since 2018. He has had opinions about everything, especially the Yankees and Knicks. He co-hosts the “Bleacher Creatures” podcast and is always looking for new pieces of sports history to uncover, usually with a Yankee Tavern chicken parm sub in hand.