The New York Yankees are still trying to figure out what’s really going on with Giancarlo Stanton’s elbows.
At the start of spring training, the team announced that Stanton was dealing with injuries in both elbows and would be sidelined for a while. They didn’t give a lot of details, but both Stanton and manager Aaron Boone downplayed the situation, making it seem like nothing too serious.
But now, the latest updates tell a different story. Boone had previously mentioned that Stanton had been playing through this issue for at least a season, and if that’s true, it clearly didn’t hold him back too much. Last year, Stanton played 114 games, hitting .233 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs. His OPS+ was 115, meaning he was still producing at a level 15% better than the average hitter.
And when it came to the playoffs, Stanton stepped up even more. He was arguably the Yankees’ best hitter alongside former teammate Juan Soto, slashing .273 with seven home runs, 16 RBIs, and a stellar 1.048 OPS over 62 plate appearances.
Now that spring training games are underway, there’s been a new update about the Yankees’ $325 million slugger.
What’s going on with Giancarlo Stanton’s injury?
To get a clearer picture of what’s happening with his elbows—which have been described as a tennis elbow-like condition—Stanton reportedly flew to New York on Monday morning to meet with Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the Yankees’ head medical expert. This was reported by Randy Miller of NJ.com.
While injuries aren’t exactly a new thing for Stanton during his time in New York, the fact that the team felt the need to send him outside their spring training facility in Tampa raises some concerns.
According to Miller, this visit will likely involve new tests and a deeper review of Stanton’s treatment options. Surgery is seen as a last resort, and for now, it hasn’t been seriously considered. However, given Stanton’s long history with injuries, there’s a chance he might be dealing with more than just inflamed tendons.
What this means for the Yankees
The Yankees already suffered a blow when they missed out on re-signing Juan Soto, and while they added Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to the roster, both players are coming off down years. That means the team was really counting on Stanton to be a steady force in the lineup.
Now, with his status uncertain, the Yankees have yet another question mark heading into the season. This situation is definitely one to keep an eye on over the next month as spring training continues.