ST. PETERSBURG, FL – SEP 25: Gary Sanchez (24) of the Yankees hits a home run and is congratulated by Giancarlo Stanton (27) during the MLB regular season game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays on September 25, 2018, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Yankees have been decimated by injury so far this season, but it looks like they’re starting to get some key players back.
The Yankees have been ravaged by injury to open the season, and it’s been part of the reason they’ve gotten off to such a slow start this year. Thankfully for them they have the depth to survive some of the losses they’ve suffered, but they need their main guys back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
Obviously in the cases of Dellin Betances (shoulder), Luis Severino (shoulder) and Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery) they may not all be back until sometime after the All-Star break, but Yankees who have suffered relatively minor injuries are hoping to be back soon.
The team brought good news to their fans on Wednesday afternoon though with an injury update for two of their big guns. Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez are getting closer to returning to the Yankees lineup.
Starting with Stanton, according to manager Aaron Boone he “hit off a machine with some intensity” Wednesday. Stanton is recovering from a strained bicep, and has only played in three games this season. The team is set for a west coast trip on Monday after they finish their nine-game home stand, but they’re unsure if he’ll return to the lineup by then.
As for Sanchez who is recovering from a minor calf strain, it looks like he’s closer to returning to the lineup than Stanton. Sanchez last played on April 10, and technically can’t return to the lineup until April 20 after the minimum 10 days are up.
Nonetheless Boone said they’re going to map out a plan for him, and they feel good about his progress. It seems that he should return at the start of or sometime during their west coast trip, and the Yankees could really use his bat because he’s been on fire this season with 1.065 OPS.
Injuries are a part of the game, and every team has to deal with them. Luckily for the Yankees, much-needed players are slowly but surely starting to come back to the lineup.