Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

When Will Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton Return?

Yankees big trade deadline acquisition - Big G?

Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It’s a strange problem to have: The Yankees are scoring runs at will, sitting atop the American League standings, and yet one of their most feared hitters hasn’t taken a swing all season. That hitter? Giancarlo Stanton, who’s yet to enter the field since the World Series against the Dodgers with damage to both elbows.

In Big G’s place, Ben Rice has become an unexpected fan favorite. Just last night, he went 4-for-4 in a win over the Rays, amid an already spectacular start to the season – the kind of breakout performance that gets people asking how can you take this guy out of the lineup? The better Rice plays, the more complicated Stanton’s return becomes.

Where does Ben Rice fit in the lineup when Giancarlo Stanton is back???
— Aaron Judge Associate (@GavelSmasher99) April 18, 2025

But seriously what’s going to happen with Ben Rice when Stanton returns
— Torpedo Volpe (@VolpeParm11) April 17, 2025

But that return is inching closer.

So, When Will Giancarlo Stanton Return?

Stanton’s been nearly invisible for months, not by design, but by physical necessity. It wasn’t until recently that he could even grip a bat without wincing. “Shaking hands wouldn’t be ideal,” Stanton said with a smirk to Bob Klapisch from NJ.com, opting instead for a now-familiar fist bump. “I give everyone a fist bump instead. I’ve been doing that a lot.”

ALSO READ: Giancarlo Stanton Injury Update: Yankees Veteran Dealing With More Than Elbow Issues

The cause of all this caution: severe pain in both elbows, which made even basic movements uncomfortable. A full offseason came and went without surgery, but not without treatment. Stanton underwent three rounds of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to stimulate healing. Now, finally, the slugger is making measurable progress, taking swings off a high-velocity Trajekt machine that mimics Major League pitching. A month ago, even that was out of the question.

Still, there’s no timeline, at least not from Stanton. “Too soon to say,” he offered when asked for a target return date. “Things are getting better, let’s leave it at that.”

Manager Aaron Boone, however, gave a bit more to chew on. “I don’t think one month,” Boone said, “but probably inside of two months. G’s going to need a full ramp-up in a rehab assignment, but he’s getting there.”

If Boone’s estimate holds, Stanton could be back by mid-June, just in time for the Yankees to call Big G their make-shift but high-value trade deadline acquisition. That timing could create difficult lineup choices, especially if Rice continues to hit, but Boone isn’t making those calls just yet.

ALSO READ: Could Trent Grisham Be the Yankees’ Wild Card This Season?

The origin of Stanton’s elbow issues remains unclear. He’s adamant they had nothing to do with the unconventional “torpedo” bats he used last year. And as for skipping surgery over the winter? He didn’t want to talk about it. “Just don’t ask me why I didn’t have the operation,” he said flatly to Klapisch.

For now, the Yankees don’t need Stanton. But when he’s back, they’ll be even scarier.

Giancarlo Stanton

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.