Though an exciting offseason hoped to change the fortunes for the New York Yankees, some issues are still existing. The biggest one is the injury bug, and it has bitten again. Though a timetable is unclear, Yankees outfield Giancarlo Stanton suffered a calf strain and could be in jeopardy of missing Opening Day.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Stanton felt pain in his calf during drills on Tuesday. They had him undergo an MRI, which revealed a Grade 1 calf strain. No official word has been given about his availability for Opening Day against the Baltimore Orioles on March 26.
Giancarlo Stanton Grade 1 right calf strain. Boone: “he will be down a bit.” Made it sound unlikely he will be ready for the start of the season. #Yankees
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 26, 2020
The Yankees just got the devastating news about starting pitcher Luis Severino, who has to undergo Tommy John surgery. Fellow starter James Paxton had back surgery and won’t be ready until a month or two after the season begins. Now, the Yankees could be without their starting left fielder. This could wind up pushing Stanton to more a DH role when he returns.
While the strain is a Grade 1, which means it shouldn’t be lengthy, there is always concern. Soft tissue injuries in general can be wacky and keep a player out longer than expected. This becomes even more amplified when it happens during the preseason. For whatever reason, it can be a harder injury to shake rather than one during the regular season.
Incredibly talented and one of the best hitters in the league, Stanton struggled with injuries in 2019. He was limited to just 18 games last season due to a multitude of injuries.
We will have to wait and see what happens with Stanton’s injury, but there is a very real possibility he’s not available for the regular-season opener in a month.