The New York Yankees offense has really tanked in recent weeks.
It looks like the unit has been riding with the emergency brake on: it just has failed to take off.
Slumps have played a role: outfielder Aaron Hicks, third baseman Josh Donaldson, second baseman Gleyber Torres, and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa are all ice cold at the moment.
Injuries, however, have really affected the team’s overall depth, or the ability to play capable replacements.
At the moment, the Yankees have an entire outfield out with injury: Giancarlo Stanton and Matt Carpenter would play the corners, and Harrison Bader would be the center fielder in that hypothetical all-injured outfield.
There is positive news to report on Stanton, though.
“Aaron Boone hopes Giancarlo Stanton can begin his rehab assignment by this weekend and return next week. Outfield is in play for Stanton as well, not just DH, Boone said,” SI.com’s Max Goodman tweeted.
Aaron Boone hopes Giancarlo Stanton can begin his rehab assignment by this weekend and return next week.
Outfield is in play for Stanton as well, not just DH, Boone said.
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) August 17, 2022
Stanton Is Getting Closer
Stanton, the MVP of the All-Star Game, has been out for a few weeks with an Achilles issue.
He is feeling much, much better now, and is ready to start a rehab assignment over the weekend.
If all goes well, he could be ready for activation next week.
The Yankees need his right-handed power bat badly.
Stanton is hitting .228/.309/.498 with 24 home runs in limited action, so he qualifies as an upgrade over Hicks and many of the Yankees hitters.
It’s especially encouraging that the Yankees are not afraid to have him play the outfield again once he completes his return, because it will give them some extra flexibility at the time of writing the lineup.
The decimated Yankees offense is about to get a top-notch reinforcement.
NEXT: The Yankees Offense Has Officially Gone Missing In August