Can the Yankees trust that Giancarlo Stanton will remain healthy in 2020?

When the New York Yankees traded for Giancarlo Stanton two years ago, they were receiving a healthy slugger who hit 59 homers the year before. He was known as one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball and was projected to add immense power to an already strong Yankee lineup.

However, the reality we have endured isn’t the reality we expected. Consistent injuries the past two seasons has significantly hurt his production on defense and offense. In April of 2018, Stanton was placed on the 10-day injured reserve with a biceps strain. One day after the injury was announced, it was declared that he would miss a minimum of three weeks recovering. As he progressed through the bicep recovery, he picked up a shoulder injury, which forced him to require a cortisone shot.

After several weeks passed, soreness in his left calf sprung, causing him to miss more than a month before returning against the Tampa Bay Rays. About a week later, he picked up a hand injury and a right knee contusion forcing him out for even more time.

Altogether, Stanton only enjoyed 52 at-bats last season. This Spring Training was supposed to offer him an opportunity to return to baseball activity with a full fill of health. Still, everybody and nobody expected him to pick up a new calf strain during a regular fielding drill.

Stanton’s grade 1 calf strain was expected to set him back just 7-10 days, but that timetable seems to be increasing. Luckily, with the MLB pushing back Opening Day, he will have more time to recover and return to form before the start of the Regular Season in a few months.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on Stanton and James Paxton’s injuries this week, stating:

“Pax just started throwing, he’s doing really well,” Boone said. “Giancarlo’s doing really well.”

As for the push back of the regular season:

“There’s no question this is going to give those guys an opportunity to be part of our season from the start,” Boone said. “It’s a little bit exciting.”

Considering Stanton has already picked up a minor injury before even stepping into the batter’s box for a live at-bat, it forces us to believe he will endure another injury-plagued season. Hopefully, that won’t be the case.