The New York Yankees barged into spring training seeking redemption after collapsing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. They understood the long season ahead would be different without Juan Soto, who chose the Mets in free agency after being the second-best hitter in the Yankees' American League pennant-winning lineup, but they still felt good about their chances thanks to a new roster injected with splashy free-agent additions.
It didn't take long for their depth to be tested.
With Opening Day in the Bronx just over three weeks away, the Yankees will start the season without two key players: designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (tennis elbows) and starting pitcher Luis Gil (high grade right lat strain). Gil could spend three or more months on the injured list, while the timetable for Stanton's absence remains unclear. This marks the sixth straight season that Stanton will spend time on the IL. He hasn't played a full season since 2018, his first year with the Yankees.
It's hardly a shock that Stanton, entering his age-35 season, is already sidelined — but it's still a huge blow to the Yankees' Soto-less offense, and another bump in the slugger's path to 500 career home runs. Stanton leads all active hitters with 429 career homers, and he's just 24 long balls away from passing Carl Yastrzemski into 40th place on the all-time list. After that? His next stop could be the Hall of Fame.
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"Knowing you've got No. 27 lurking on deck behind you, it always helps you out," Aaron Judge told reporters at George M. Steinbrenner Field last week. "It's going to be a tough blow, you can't replace him."
Ahead of the 2024 season, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said it's only a matter of time before Stanton runs into an injury. The slugger responded by staying relatively healthy, missing a few weeks due to a hamstring strain, and hitting 27 home runs and 20 doubles with a 115 OPS+ across 114 games. Then he erupted in October, crushing seven home runs with a 1.048 OPS in a loud postseason that helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. He was named MVP of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians and reminded us that, when he's healthy, Stanton is one of the most lethal hitters in the game.
But this year, the Yankees announced Stanton was dealing with pain in both elbows before the full roster even reported to spring training. Stanton hasn't swung a bat since mid-January due to the pain, and there has been no update on a timeline for his return since he received PRP injections in both arms last week in New York, where he's since been for personal reasons. Stanton is expected back in Yankees camp this week but, since he dealt with elbow pain throughout last season, the Yankees will likely slow-play his resumption of baseball activities.
"He's definitely frustrated," said Judge, who has spoken to Stanton since he left Yankees camp in Tampa. "But we all want him back."
The Bombers should still hold onto their high expectations for the year and avoid letting the extended missed time from key players derail their season. They're still the favorites to win the AL East, and FanGraphs' projection system is giving the Yankees a 7.4% chance of winning the World Series. Only the Dodgers (22.7%) and Atlanta Braves (15.1%) have a higher chance of winning a championship, according to their preseason odds. Besides Judge doing Judge things, huge performances from new Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger and veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, plus a full season in pinstripes from Jazz Chisholm and top prospect Jasson Dominguez, will ameliorate the sting of Stanton's time on the IL.
Skipper Aaron Boone has indicated the Yankees will turn to in-house options and rotate through a cycle of designated hitters to make up for Stanton's bat. Outside alternatives are essentially nonexistent at this point in the spring, besides 37-year-old free agent J.D. Martinez, who the Yankees reportedly have had contact with, but he's coming off a disappointing season with the Mets. The only other DH on the market is Matt Carpenter, who just turned 39 and posted a -0.1 WAR in 59 games for the Cardinals last year.
Players in Yankees camp who are vying for Stanton's role include first baseman Dominic Smith, first baseman/catcher Ben Rice, outfielder Everson Pereira, and catcher/infielder J.C. Escarra. The high-water mark for those candidates is underwhelming compared to what Stanton offers as a right-handed power bat, particularly in a Yankees lineup that is skewed left-handed, but if Cashman can be savvy with the way he uses his roster depth, then it could buy the Yankees the time they need until No. 27 returns.
Start expecting Judge to receive some DH at-bats, too, to give his legs a rest from the outfield and increase the odds of the Yankees' most important hitter staying healthy all year. With Judge as the DH, the Yankees could slide fourth outfielder Trent Grisham into the lineup, or give more chances to other hitters in camp competing for a larger role on the team.
The silver lining is Stanton's injury woes are at the onset of the season, rather than in the middle of a pennant race. The Yankees have options to stay afloat while he's sidelined and, until then, they can learn about the strengths of their new lineup without him. At this point in his career, Stanton's greatest asset is being dangerous for the Yankees in the playoffs, and spring is only just beginning. For now, time is on the Yankees' side.
"G was so steady for us last year," Boone said. "Obviously, what he did in the postseason and just his presence in the middle … there's no sugarcoating that. We miss that presence. But hopefully we get him right before too long, and we'll get him back in the middle [of the lineup] in due time."
Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for four years as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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