For weeks, the New York Yankees and their fans held their breath, dreading the worst. Giancarlo Stanton’s elbow injuries weren’t just a minor inconvenience—they were the kind of lingering, everyday struggle that made it hard for him to do basic tasks, let alone crush baseballs into the night sky.
The mere thought of season-ending surgery was enough to send shivers down the spine of a team that desperately needs his bat in the lineup.
PRP injections? They weren’t cutting it. Swinging a bat? Forget about it. The uncertainty dragged on, and as Opening Day inched closer, the concern grew louder. But finally, after weeks of radio silence on the progress front, there’s a spark of optimism.
A Positive Turn in Stanton’s Recovery
Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch dropped the news fans had been waiting for: “Giancarlo Stanton is responding well to treatment and has resumed swinging a bat, Aaron Boone said,” Hoch posted on X.
That might not sound earth-shattering at first glance, but considering where things were just days ago, it’s a huge step. Swinging a bat means there’s real progress. It means there’s still hope that Stanton avoids surgery, gets back on the field, and starts doing what he does best—launching baseballs into orbit.
The Yankees Need Him—Badly
Even a compromised Stanton is better than no Stanton at all. Last season, he still managed 27 home runs and a 116 wRC+—not his peak numbers, but plenty valuable in a lineup that could use every ounce of firepower it can get.
Right now, the Yankees are leaning on spring training breakout Ben Rice in the designated hitter spot, at least against right-handed pitchers. While Rice has been a fun story, he’s not the middle-of-the-order masher that Stanton is when healthy. The Yankees don’t just need Stanton’s bat—they need the fear factor that comes with it, the kind that makes opposing pitchers sweat before he even steps into the box.
There’s still a long road ahead. But if Stanton keeps progressing, the Yankees might just get the slugger they’ve been missing back in time to make some noise this season.