New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton may not be ready for opening day because of tendinitis in both elbows, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday.
The prodigious slugger was bothered by elbow soreness for much of last season, yet he still hit 27 homers and drove in 72 runs. He was especially productive in the Yankees’ march to the World Series, hitting .273 with seven home runs and 16 RBI in 14 postseason games and winning MVP honors in the American League championship series.
‘It’s tough to say,’ Boone said in terms of when Stanton might make his season debut. ‘I’m not going to put any timeline on it. We’re just going to be smart with it.’
Stanton, 35, is expected to be an important part of the Yankees lineup this season following the loss of outfielder Juan Soto to free agency.
Despite being one of the most feared power hitters in the game, the five-time All-Star been plagued by injuries throughout his 15-year career in the majors.
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The Yankees acquired Stanton from the Miami Marlins following his MVP-winning 2017 season, but since then he’s only played more than 140 games once during his seven years in pinstripes. He played in 114 games in 2024, missing over a month with a hamstring injury.
Stanton currently leads all active major leaguers with 429 career home runs, 51 ahead of Mike Trout.