The New York Yankees welcomed back designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton on Monday, marking his much-anticipated season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. After battling tendon injuries in both elbows, Stanton’s return adds a layer of complexity to a lineup that’s already brimming with options just past the halfway point of the season.
Last year, Stanton demonstrated incredible resilience, playing through joint pain to smash seven home runs in 14 postseason games. Yet, he faced a different battle this year, as he was shut down from swinging entirely by January, only to ramp up his activity in late March. The Yankees were patient with his recovery, not feeling pressure to rush him back, especially considering their competitive offensive performance. With multiple players capable of filling the designated hitter role, Stanton’s reinstatement from the 60-day injured list came after several weeks—he started a rehab assignment last week and played three games with Double-A Somerset, where he went 3-for-11 with a double, four RBIs, a walk, and three strikeouts.
Despite Stanton’s absence, the Yankees’ offense has excelled, sitting second in the majors with a robust 123 wRC+ and an impressive .794 OPS. This success has largely been fueled by emerging talents like Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Dominguez, who have seamlessly cycled through the DH spot.
Here’s where it gets intriguing. With Stanton back, manager Aaron Boone faces the daily challenge of optimizing his lineup. Not only does he need to fit Stanton into the DH role, but he also has to juggle a crowded outfield situation. Judge is solid in right field, leaving Boone with Dominguez, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham vying for the two remaining outfield spots—center and left.
To alleviate this logjam, Boone hinted that Rice could take on catching duties more frequently to ensure all the bats get their chances. The 26-year-old, primarily a catcher earlier in his career, has yet to start at the position for the Yankees since making his major league debut last season and has registered only 6⅔ innings behind the plate in the big leagues. This year, the catching duties have been mainly shared between Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra, with Wells starting 52 of the Yankees’ 70 games.
In a corresponding move to make space for Stanton on the active roster, the Yankees designated utility man Pablo Reyes for assignment.
In addition to the offensive shake-up, there was some unfortunate news on the pitching front. Manager Boone announced that right-hander Jake Cousins is scheduled for Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. Cousins has spent his first three major league seasons with the Brewers before his transition to New York in 2024. His performance for the Yankees was solid, boasting a 2.37 ERA across 37 games out of the bullpen, and he even saw action in six postseason games last year. However, he hasn’t pitched this season due to his elbow issue, making his impending surgery a significant blow to the Yankees’ pitching depth.
As Stanton integrates back into the lineup, the Yankees will look to balance the exciting offensive potential with the challenges of roster management, all while keeping a keen eye on the road ahead.
