NEW YORK – After Giancarlo Stanton missed part of the 2024 season due to injury, all seemed forgiven when the Yankees slugger returned as a playoff force, blasting seven October homers while claiming MVP honors in the American League Championship Series.
Stanton will try to follow that same playbook this autumn.
Sidelined since late April due to a succession of calf injuries, Stanton took live at-bats as part of a workout group on Wednesday at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J., home of the Double-A Somerset Patriots.
Stanton launched a homer and ran the bases, according to manager Aaron Boone, who isn’t ruling out the 36-year-old’s return during the postseason.
“He’s doing pretty well,” Boone said of Stanton, whom he characterized as “knocking on the door.”
Trent Grisham (right hamstring) also took live at-bats on Wednesday as he aims to rejoin the Yankees for the AL Wild Card Series. But Stanton’s return would qualify as a surprise, considering his checkered season trajectory.
“Obviously, there will be conversations with him,” Boone said. “Does he fit on the roster, is it realistic? All those things, I can’t answer right now.”
Stanton sustained a right calf strain while running the bases in late April, then aggravated the injury while running bases again during rehab in late June. He sustained a moderate-grade left calf strain while running the bases in late August.
Even now, the Yankees aren’t sure what Stanton would be able to provide if activated – but they’re willing to give it a chance.
“You’re looking at more of a pinch-hit scenario,” Boone said of Stanton’s possible return. “Obviously, we’ll see if that’s even a realistic option. I don’t know yet.”
With five regular-season games remaining entering Wednesday, here are other considerations the Yankees are entertaining ahead of the postseason:
Carlos Lagrange in the bullpen?
A 23-year-old right-hander with a triple-digit fastball, Lagrange sustained a capsule strain in early July, seemingly putting his season in jeopardy.
He returned to action by throwing an inning for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Jacksonville on Sept. 16, striking out two. He was in Bridgewater, N.J. with Grisham and Stanton on Wednesday, tossing an inning, and Boone said Lagrange is “in the conversation” for a roster spot.
“I saw a few fastballs at 99, 100 [mph], throwing his offspeeds for strikes,” said catcher J.C. Escarra, who was in Triple-A for that Sept. 16 appearance. “That’s really all he needs to do. From what I saw, he looked exactly how he finished up.”
Even though Lagrange has yet to make his Major League debut, Escarra said he believes Lagrange could handle breaking in under the October spotlight.
“I think he’d do real well,” Escarra said. “His stuff is there, as good as it has been. He’s a young guy, but he’s very mature for his age. His talent speaks for itself. He has an arm that you don’t see very often.”
Lagrange could be especially important if Clarke Schmidt (right biceps soreness) and Ryan Weathers (left flexor strain) aren’t able to return from their respective injuries.
Anthony Volpe at third base?
Volpe made only three appearances at third base during his time with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but with Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario having been largely underwhelming, the Yankees plan to get him in a game or two at the hot corner before season’s end.
“Trying to be as flexible as possible,” Boone said. “There’s a lot of different [roster] iterations and ways we could go in the Wild Card Series.”
Volpe had been filling in at second base while Jazz Chisholm Jr. was on the injured list. George Lombard Jr. will remain at shortstop, according to Boone, who also said he hasn’t strongly considered moving Chisholm to third base.
José Caballero could also see innings at third base during the postseason.
More relief choices
Diagnosed with a partial tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament, Fernando Cruz said he is “not going to accept that” as he attempts to rehab. Cruz is scheduled for a bullpen session on Thursday, his second since the injury.
“In my mind, as a man of faith, I don’t accept that [diagnosis],” Cruz said. “In my mind, I’m not going through a tear. I’m going through some inflammation and some real chronic irritation.”
Schmidt was doing “better” on Wednesday after experiencing right biceps discomfort over the weekend in Arizona. Boone said that if Schmidt is not a viable option by Thursday, “then we’ll probably go a different way.”