Yankees injured slugger takes key step forward in his recovery

Yahoo

07-05-2025

For the New York Yankees, the 2025 season has carried on without one of its biggest bats. Giancarlo Stanton, the muscle-bound power hitter who once terrorized pitchers with tape-measure home runs, has been sidelined since spring training, battling a uniquely brutal injury—torn elbow tendons in both arms. Not one, but both. Imagine trying to swing a sledgehammer with frayed rubber bands holding your elbows together. That's been Stanton's reality.
Recovery hasn't been as simple as a few days of rest and a trip to the trainer's table. It's been a cocktail of platelet-rich plasma injections, rehab exercises, and enough downtime to test the patience of even the most zen-like athlete. And yet, the Yankees have begun to see a glimmer of the old Stanton shining through.
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Small Steps, Big Significance
April 22 marked a hopeful moment. Stanton was spotted taking batting practice on the field, a sight that must have felt like a sunny break in a weeks-long storm for Yankees fans. It was controlled, cautious—no fireworks, but symbolic of movement in the right direction.
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Then came Tuesday. Stanton stepped in for live batting practice against reliever Jake Cousins, who's also rehabbing. This wasn't just another round of soft toss or cage work. This was real, unpredictable pitching. According to a post from SleeperYankees on X, Stanton made contact—sharply, in fact—smacking a grounder to short.
That's the kind of muscle memory you can't fully simulate until you're staring down a pitcher again. His second at-bat ended in a walk, per Bryan Hoch, but even that showed restraint and plate awareness. Little things, yes. But for a man trying to put together a broken swing, they're like learning to walk again before running a marathon.
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Next Stop: Rehab Assignment
If all continues to trend upward, the next logical checkpoint is a rehab assignment—likely a lengthy one. There's no shortcut for a player who's been out this long. Stanton will need to grind through at-bats in the minors, rediscover his timing, and shake off the rust of inactivity. The Yankees aren't rushing it, and Stanton himself will have the final say on when his body feels ready.
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Fans might be looking ahead to the box scores and dreaming of his postseason magic—not long ago, he blasted seven home runs and posted a jaw-dropping 183 wRC+ in October. Before that, he had a solid regular season, cracking 27 homers with a 116 wRC+, proving that when he's healthy, he's still a force. Not just a name. Not just a contract. A true difference-maker.
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And in a Yankees lineup that could always use a little more thunder, Stanton's return—whenever it comes—will feel less like a luxury and more like getting the missing piece of a puzzle back.
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