May 3, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) talks with GIancarlo Stanton (27) after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankees in Limbo With Two Injured Sluggers

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 7:00 AM ET

With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the mend, the New York Yankees have a puzzle on their hands.

After Judge suffered his elbow injury and spent a 10-day stint on the injured list, he returned to the lineup at designated hitter, uprooting Stanton from the position. To make up for the absence, Stanton has been playing right field, but it appears to have hurt him — which was a concern from the outset.

Stanton, an invaluable bat for the Yankees, does not run well. He was the 284th-fastest runner in the MLB last year of 288 players with at least 100 competitive sprints, and fans enjoy (lovingly) making fun of his base running on social media. Now suffering from an undefined lower body injury, Stanton's ability to play is in question as well.

Stanton rounding third https://t.co/VCPFlScvMR
— Dom (@BronxBmbrz) July 13, 2025

Stanton rounding third pic.twitter.com/L9AI9JWWKb
— Molly (@FSUmollz) October 29, 2024

The Yankees are already in a precarious position in this second half. They're 5.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East and .5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card standings (the Yankees are still holding onto the last Wild Card spot). Since Judge's injury, the front office has been operating with an abundance of caution in an effort to both climb back up and keep their star slugger as healthy as possible. Now with two injured sluggers, it's just a waiting game.

On the subject of Stanton's injury, Aaron Boone reiterated the importance of that caution.

"Just don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way,” Boone said ahead of the Yankees 8-4 win over the Cardinals, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Especially going into an off day [Monday], it’s a big outfield here and I feel like [Stanton] is in a good spot to be a real weapon if we need something off the bench today too.”

The move paid off for them this time, and Stanton did pinch hit to secure a walk in the fateful ninth inning of this series sweep (Anthony Volpe ran for him). After their off day, they'll play the Tampa Bay Rays for two games on the road, then head back to host the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

John Jones-Imagn Images

There is still no update on when Judge might be fit to practice throwing to bases from the outfield, but he has now completed practices throwing from 150 feet. The recovery is slow-going, and while the Yankees don't have much time to lose, it seems the other bats are capable of picking up the slack for the time being.

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