Yankees' Aaron Boone Provides Encouraging Giancarlo Stanton Update

“We got enough news today to take that next step to where hopefully the running goes inline with how he’s feeling and we can start to ramp things up from there,” Boone said. 

Stanton has been on the IL with a right calf strain since April 25. The Yankees have sorely missed his bat in the middle of the order.

Before getting injured, Stanton was slashing .256/.302/.422 with a .724 OPS, three home runs and 14 RBI in 24 games.

Stanton has been one of the Yankees' best hitters not named Aaron Judge for a number of years now. The 36-year-old has slugged at least 24 homers in five straight seasons despite dealing with injury issues in the process.

The hope is that the Yankees can keep Stanton healthy for the rest of the season once he returns from the IL. Stanton is known for being a clutch hitter in October during the postseason, so they will need him at full strength later in the year.

Stanton will likely require a rehab assignment before he is ready to rejoin the big-league club in the Bronx. The Yankees still don't have a timeline for Stanton's return, but he is about to take a significant step in his rehab.

“Having him in the middle [of the batting order], his presence is massive,” Boone said. “Hopefully it’s not too much longer, we obviously want him back in there because his presence is real.”

The Yankees have been using Ben Rice as the DH and playing Paul Goldschmidt at first base a good bit with Stanton out.

The Yankees entered play on Wednesday night with a 33-22 record and 2.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East division. New York currently has the second best record in the AL.