The New York Yankees received troubling Giancarlo Stanton injury news Wednesday after the slugger still was not cleared to resume running ahead of this weekend’s Subway Series against the Mets. Stanton now appears to be unavailable for that marquee matchup.
According to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Stanton’s latest MRI results did not provide the clearance necessary for him to resume running activities. The setback clouds Stanton’s availability for one of the Yankees’ biggest regular-season series of the year and raises fresh concerns about how quickly the veteran power hitter can return from the lingering calf injury.
Earlier optimism suggested he could begin ramping up baseball activities this week.
Stanton underwent the MRI on Tuesday to evaluate the healing progress in his right calf, but the imaging showed he still is not ready for high-intensity movement. Boone confirmed the results were not enough to greenlight the next phase of Stanton’s rehabilitation, adding that the Yankees are waiting on a comparison with his initial scan to assess how much the injury has healed.
Stalled Progress for Slugger Stanton
Stanton has been sidelined since late April with a low-grade right calf strain, which he sustained April 24 while jogging between bases during a game against the Houston Astros. The Yankees placed him on the 10-day injured list April 28, retroactive to April 25, figuring Stanton’s absence would be brief. Calf injuries, however, can show slow progress in players with Stanton’s combination of size and explosive power, often requiring additional caution to avoid a more serious setback.
Sports medicine physician Dr. Jesse Morse previously warned on social media that the calf muscle heals slowly and reinjures easily, comparing it to a groin injury. Morse noted that even a mild Grade 1 strain requires at least two to three weeks of recovery, while a moderate Grade 2 strain can push that window to six to eight weeks.
What Stanton’s Absence Means for the Yankees
Before the injury, Stanton was providing middle-of-the-order power for a Yankees lineup dealing with multiple roster disruptions early in the 2026 season. His absence forced Boone to rotate players through the designated hitter slot, losing the elite exit velocity and intimidation factor that a healthy Stanton, MLB’s active career home run leader with 456, adds to the lineup.
The Yankees’ injury issues go beyond the 36-year-old Stanton. Jasson Dominguez, who had been filling in at DH as well as outfield, was sent to the 10-day injured list May 8 after suffering a sprained AC joint and entering concussion protocol following a collision with the Yankee Stadium left-field wall. The Yankees promoted top prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A to help fill the void, but the twin IL stints have left the club shorthanded in the power department.
It is perhaps no coincidence that the Yankees have now lost five of their last six games, scoring only 14 runs, or 2.33 per game, during that stretch.
The organization wants to make sure that when Stanton returns, he plays with minimal restrictions. Given his extensive history of lower-body soft-tissue injuries, including quad, hamstring, Achilles and ankle problems dating back to 2021, the Yankees’ medical staff is reluctant to push his return before imaging shows sufficient healing.
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