Giancarlo Stanton has been sidelined with a hamstring injury after rounding the bases in a game against the Atlanta Braves, but the Yankees finally get a timeline on his return. Aaron Boone told reporters that they’re hoping to have their star DH back in the lineup on Monday against the Phillies, which is right around the last hours of the trade deadline. As the Yankees get some of their key cogs back, they can expect their lineup to improve internally, which is important even if they have a big trade deadline.
The Yankees are going to need bats, and it’s Brian Cashman’s responsibility to upgrade this roster, but the players already on the team need to step up as well.
Target Date For Giancarlo Stanton’s Return Couldn’t Come Faster For the Yankees
Before hitting the IL, Giancarlo Stanton mashed 18 home runs with a 124 wRC+, playing a key role in the middle of this lineup as a run producer. Consistency has always been an issue for the hulking slugger, but his ability to get big hits in big spots has been vital to their success on the baseball diamond. Things aren’t going great in Yankee land right now, but if they’re able to get some support for their offense internally and externally we could see a quick turnaround.
Some of the areas the Yankees are targeting right now according to Andy Martino of SNY include their rotation, bullpen, and third base where the Yankees have really struggled. Their rotation has been one of the worst in baseball over the last month, their bullpen has been inconsistent, and third base in particular has been a problem for most of the season, not just this recent stretch.
DJ LeMahieu has been atrocious for the Bronx Bombers, Oswaldo Cabrera is more of a bench piece, and Jon Berti hasn’t been healthy enough to make a consistent impact. Isaac Paredes and Matt Chapman are two of the top targets in my mind who could immediately come in and provide the Yankees with a nice punch offensively while picking it well at the hot corner.
Jasson Dominguez was activated off of the Triple-A IL today and will be leading off for the Scranton RailRiders as he builds up and prepares for a chance to potentially earn a job at the Major League level. The Yankees kick off a three-game set in Fenway tonight as Nestor Cortes toes the slab against Brayan Bello for a Friday night showdown.