Giancarlo Stanton Nears Yankees Return, Hitting Off Machine and Running Bases

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is making strides in his recovery, hitting off a machine and running the bases as he targets a potential return for Tuesday's wild-card playoff round. This development, previously kept behind the scenes, was brought to light Thursday, signaling that Stanton is becoming a viable option for the team during the postseason.

For the first time during this rehabilitation phase, Stanton took to the batter's box at Yankee Stadium and demonstrated a return to form while facing simulated game-speed pitches. Despite suffering three calf strains this season, with the most recent occurring just over a month ago, the powerful hitter is working towards being an active roster player. Manager Aaron Boone has hinted at potential pinch-hitting scenarios for Stanton, making him a possible weapon for the Yankees in the wild-card round.

"[Stanton] looks great," said outfielder Trent Grisham, who is also completing his own rehab from a hamstring strain and participated in hitting off the machine.

Stanton's primary hurdle throughout the summer has been his ability to execute baseball's turning movements. He experienced setbacks twice when advancing to the final stages of his recovery, which involved running the bases. The first instance occurred in a different part of his left leg, and the second affected his right leg.

However, with the support of the stay-ready group at the Yankees' Double-A affiliate in Somerset on Wednesday, Stanton ran the bases, which Boone believes was the first time during this rehab cycle.

The Yankees are exercising caution regarding Stanton's long-term outlook, given his recurring leg issues that have thwarted his activation attempts this season. Nevertheless, he showed no signs of distress the following day and has been able to swing a bat for a significant portion of his downtime. Boone noted that Stanton has been hitting throughout the summer, utilizing various training methods.

"So we’ll see here as the next few days unfold," Boone stated before the Yankees concluded their series against the Rays.

The team faces a decision on how many balls they can keep in the air, with Stanton's potential return being one of the more unexpected possibilities, alongside Aaron Judge's recovery from his own calf strain and Carlos Lagrange's potential major league debut.

Questions remain whether the Yankees would clear Stanton to play without him having faced major league pitching since April 24, or if they would use one of their 26 roster spots on a designated hitter who cannot play the field. However, in a short, three-game series, the Yankees are likely to carry more hitters than pitchers. With Aaron Judge's status uncertain, the team might need right-handed hitters, with Paul Goldschmidt and Heliot Ramos currently being the primary options against left-handed pitching.

The Boston Red Sox, a potential opponent, feature a pitching staff heavily reliant on left-handers, including Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez, and Jake Bennett in the rotation, and Aroldis Chapman, Jovani Morán, and Erik Miller in the bullpen.

Stanton has a history of postseason success, boasting a career .926 OPS with 18 home runs in 48 playoff games.

"We'll see," Boone repeated when asked about the status of both Stanton and Grisham. "It’s still days away, so I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. Let’s just get through these next few days."

Grisham, sidelined since September 4, has stated he is healthy and ready to be activated. The Yankees have been hesitant, partly because activating him would necessitate optioning or designating another player, who would then face a minimum 15-day waiting period to return. Delaying Grisham's activation until the postseason opener would circumvent this issue.

If Judge is unable to return to the outfield, Grisham could become a particularly crucial addition to the lineup. "I think I’ve done everything I needed to do," Grisham said, expressing confidence in his abilities despite not having faced live major league pitching before the postseason.