Yankees face lineup questions with Stanton's rehab approaching
Yankees face lineup questions with Stanton's rehab approaching originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Giancarlo Stanton is finally inching closer to a return to the New York Yankees' lineup, but the team still faces some lineup puzzles when he is finally back.
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Stanton could start rehab games as soon as next Tuesday with the Somerset Patriots, NJ.com's Randy Miller reports. If all goes well, he might be back in pinstripes for the Yankees' June 16 series opener against the Angels at Yankee Stadium.
It's been a long road back for Stanton.
New York Yankees star Giancarlo StantonJay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
He's been out since January with severe inflammation in both elbows, a setback that's kept one of New York's most feared hitters off the field. Stanton's career numbers speak for themselves: a .257 batting average, 429 home runs, and over 1,100 RBIs. When healthy, he's a game-changer, as he showed last year in the playoffs.
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But injuries have chipped away at his time on the field, he's averaged fewer than 95 games a season since joining the Yankees.
In the meantime, rookie Ben Rice has stepped up in a big way.
This season, Rice is hitting .245 with 12 homers and an .841 OPS. He's become a flexible piece for manager Aaron Boone, rotating between first base, designated hitter, and even catcher at times. Andy Martino of SNY reports that Rice will continue this rotation, especially with Stanton's return looming. Martino reports that there is no plan for Rice to play any other position, despite the wild speculation about him moving to third base.
And then there's Paul Goldschmidt, a veteran bat anchoring the lineup. After a career-worst season in 2024, Goldschmidt has had a resurgence. He is hitting .282 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs through early June.
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The Yankees will have to juggle all three in the lineup. Between Stanton, Rice, and Goldschmidt, they will have to figure out how to keep their power potent without sacrificing lineup balance or player health.
There has been a lot of speculation and consternation among the Yankees fanbase about this first-world problem. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has long been a proponent of proactively resting players, particularly older players or those with injury history. He will sure use this to protect both Stanton and Goldschmidt down the stretch, while still letting Rice develop.
Related: Yankees Hopeful but Face Questions After Shortstop's Early Exit Friday
Related: Giancarlo Stanton's Bold Rule For the 2025 Yankees
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
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