NEW YORK – The Yankees have kept the lights on for Giancarlo Stanton despite an absence that stretched far longer than anyone imagined, still picturing an October impact like the one that carried them to the World Series two years ago.
They might have to do it without him.
Stanton sustained a “moderate grade” strain of his left calf after falling while running the bases this week, according to manager Aaron Boone. That progression was viewed as the final hurdle in Stanton’s return from a right calf strain.
"We're not ruling anything out," Boone said before Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. "He'll obviously continue to work to try to get it right and hopefully be available. Obviously we're at a point in the calendar where it gets challenging. But you also never know."
Stanton’s latest injury continues a perplexing saga that began on April 24 in Houston, when he felt a pop in his right calf while jogging between first and second bases.
The Yankees initially hesitated to place Stanton on the injured list, believing the issue to be mild, before an MRI revealed a low-grade strain.
At the time, in a comment that proved to be prescient, Stanton said: “It’s good that it’s not a high-grade [strain], but at the same time, you’ve got to make sure it doesn’t happen again and you don’t reaggravate it.”
Stanton injured a different area of the right calf while running the bases in June.
“He’s one of our leaders in the clubhouse, so it’ll definitely suck to not have him come back,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr. “We all know what he’s capable of, and especially what he does in the playoffs. He’s just a substantial piece for our team. It sucks. We really want him back, and we kind of need him back.”
Injuries have been an ongoing issue for Stanton, who hasn’t played a full season since 2018, his first in New York.
Over the past several years, Stanton has missed time with a left quad strain (2021), right ankle inflammation (‘22), left Achilles tendinitis (‘22), left hamstring strains (‘23, ’24) and epicondylitis in both elbows (‘25).
“He is kind of superhuman – he’s a big guy that plays a sport that’s not usually for guys his size,” Chisholm said.
Stanton, 36, was batting .256 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games this season. He is earning $29 million this season and is owed $25 million for 2027. The Yankees hold a $25 million option for ’28 that includes a $10 million buyout.
Part of Stanton’s salary is being offset by the Marlins, a condition of the December 2017 trade that sent Stanton to New York. Miami is in the process of paying the Yankees $30 million, due in installments during the 2026, ’27 and ’28 seasons.
The 2017 National League Most Valuable Player with the Marlins and the MVP of the 2024 American League Championship Series, Stanton has 456 career home runs over a 17-year career that began with the Marlins in 2010.
As the active Major League home run leader, Stanton has mused about reaching 500 home runs in his career – a milestone that would boost his candidacy for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“I just feel terrible for him,” catcher Austin Wells said. “I know he wants to be out there every single day with us. It’s definitely a bummer. I hope he can get through it and get back in the lineup when we need him the most.”