Giancarlo Stanton is no stranger to injury troubles, but this time, the situation is getting uncomfortably serious. The New York Yankees slugger has been dealing with pain in both elbows for a while now, and despite multiple platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, he’s still not seeing the turnaround he needs.
He recently went back to New York for more imaging and a second round of PRP shots and has since returned to camp, but the problem remains.
Now, he’s set to leave again on Monday for a third injection—because, apparently, two weren’t enough. While PRP treatments sometimes require multiple doses, the fact that Stanton hasn’t seen meaningful improvement is a major red flag.
A Cloud of Uncertainty
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn’t sugarcoat things when addressing Stanton’s status. Surgery is still on the table, though it’s a “last resort” scenario. The Yankees remain hopeful that with rest and continued treatment, he’ll be able to avoid it and return in a few weeks.
But let’s be real—if surgery ends up happening, the entire season is gone for Stanton before it even begins.
Stanton himself isn’t exactly painting an optimistic picture. “Severe in both elbows” is how he described his injuries, linking them to bat adjustments he made last season. When asked about a return timeline, he simply didn’t have one.
Yankees’ Offense in Jeopardy
If Stanton goes under the knife, the Yankees will be in a tough spot. They already lost Juan Soto, whose 41 homers and near 1.000 OPS were a massive part of last year’s offensive punch.
Now, the idea of also losing Stanton’s 27 homers and 116 wRC+ looms over the team like a storm cloud ready to burst. And let’s not forget his postseason dominance—seven home runs and a jaw-dropping 183 wRC+ when the stakes are highest.
Power is a commodity the Yankees can’t afford to lose, and Stanton—when healthy—is a legitimate force. If his body betrays him again, the Yankees’ lineup suddenly looks far less intimidating. For now, everyone around the league has to hope these PRP injections finally do their job.
Baseball is just better when Stanton is launching balls into the seats, and nobody wants to see his season end before it even starts.