The New York Yankees might be getting their thunder back soon.
Giancarlo Stanton, the 35-year-old slugger who’s become a fixture in the middle of the lineup when healthy, is ramping up baseball activities and trending toward a return sometime in May.
While the Yankees dropped Monday’s series opener to the Baltimore Orioles 4–3, they received encouraging news as Stanton remained in New York, going through running drills and on-field workouts.
Stanton nearing return, but the timing will be tricky
Stanton has been sidelined with lingering elbow issues but continues to make strides toward a full comeback. Though no specific return date has been announced, his progress suggests it won’t be long before he rejoins the team.
And his presence is badly needed — especially with the Yankees’ lineup cooling down and big bats like Ben Rice beginning to level off.
Rice has been one of the Yankees’ breakout contributors this season, slashing .259/.370/.541 with a .911 OPS. But after a blistering start to the season, the 26-year-old lefty has started to look a bit more human over the past two weeks.
That’s not to say he’s fallen off — Rice is still putting together competitive at-bats and remains a dangerous power bat — but Stanton’s return could give manager Aaron Boone a few more weapons to mix and match.
Platoon potential: How Stanton and Rice could share DH duties
Once Stanton is ready, the Yankees could opt for a strategic platoon.
Rice could draw starts against right-handed pitchers, where his bat plays best, while Stanton could feast on lefties in the DH role.
The Yankees could also slot Rice at first base when Paul Goldschmidt needs a rest, creating lineup flexibility and keeping multiple power bats in play.
This setup allows Boone to manage Stanton’s health carefully while still extracting value from his bat — something the Yankees saw plenty of last October.
Stanton’s postseason reminder of what he still has left
It’s easy to forget how dominant Stanton can be when fully locked in.
During the 2024 postseason, he delivered one of the most electrifying playoff performances in recent memory, slashing .273/.339/.709 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs in just 14 games.
It was vintage Stanton — punishing mistakes and changing games with one swing.
The Yankees don’t need him to play every day or replicate those exact numbers over the regular season. They just need a healthy version of the veteran slugger in time for the stretch run and postseason, where his value skyrockets.