A Yankees lineup that has napped for weeks (and arguably months) can begin to see a few reinforcements on the horizon.
Giancarlo Stanton is “getting closer,” manager Aaron Boone said. Cody Bellinger is “getting close.”
The return of neither, though, appears imminent, and both are closer to returns than Aaron Judge.
Given the club’s sensitivity about Stanton, it is difficult to glean any information regarding when he might rejoin the team.
But on the field before Tuesday’s game, Stanton himself provided the update: For the first known time since suffering his second calf strain in June, the Yankees designated hitter ran the bases and looked like himself doing so.
“It does feel like he’s getting closer,” Boone allowed, though he declined to reveal much else about Stanton.
Boone said he was not sure about Stanton’s next step. He would not commit to Stanton needing or not needing a rehab assignment, saying, “There’s at least a chance of that.”
Regardless, on the field Stanton showed that he is making progress at a stage that is typically the final one before players either begin a rehab assignment or become activated. Stanton had been running the bases — and on the precipice of a return — in June when he suffered the additional calf strain.
Bellinger’s pregame work came in the outfield, where he went through agility drills and shagged fly balls. He had gone down with a hamstring strain July 25, about two and a half weeks ago, for an injury that was given a four- to six-week timetable.
“He’s running really well,” Boone said of Bellinger, who has continued to hit and late last week took on-field batting practice. “He’s probably at I think over 90 percent of his normal top speed and feeling good doing that.”
“I know he still feels a little bit of tightness getting into certain positions, so it’s just getting through that last wave, which hopefully he works through this week as that intensity ramps up of doing these things every day.
“But I don’t think he’s too far off.”
Before the game in The Bronx against the Mariners, the Yankees placed Kervin Castro on the 15-day injured list with right elbow neuritis and called up righty Bradley Hanner from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Castro’s prognosis was not immediately known. In limited opportunities, the righty had pitched well this season (6 ¹/₃ innings, one earned run, eight strikeouts).
Hanner, a 27-year-old minor league lifer, held a 2.10 ERA in 51 ¹/₃ innings with SWB.
Luis Gil threw a scoreless inning on 13 pitches (12 strikes) as he began a rehab assignment with High-A Hudson Valley.
Gil, who has been sidelined by shoulder inflammation since early May, allowed two hits, no walks and struck out one as the game’s starter.
There probably is not enough time for Gil to build up as rotation help, and Boone said he “potentially” could be an option out of the bullpen.
Yankees Merch Shop
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
Carlos Rodón will make his second rehab start Thursday with Double-A Somerset.
In his first, the lefty was not sharp in 2 ²/₃ innings with SWB, with whom he threw 48 pitches.
