Promising Giancarlo Stanton Injury Update Couldn't Have Come at a Better Time for Yankees

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When Giancarlo Stanton originally went down, the New York Yankees had Jasson Domínguez. The young slugger was a brilliant blend of speed and power, and while Domínguez can't send a ball 470 feet with a flick of his wrist, there were other ways he was helping the Yankees win. Now that Domínguez is out, and Spencer Jones is trying to get his feet wet in the big leagues, it's clear there's a Stanton-sized hole in the lineup.
According to the Daily News' Gary Phillips, the Yankees may be getting some good news on the Stanton front, at least. Aaron Boone mentioned that the veteran Stanton is getting tests today to get an update on his healing progress. If all goes well, he could begin running and has already done some indoor work.

If Stanton comes back soon, it would be a much-needed boost to the lineup. Heading into Monday's loss, the Yankees were already 1-4 in their last five games. During that stretch, they averaged 1.75 runs a game in those games they lost. Stanton can change the entire game with one swing, even if he's incredibly limited at this point in his career.
This season, Stanton is hitting .256/.302/.422, and despite being 36 and having a slew of injuries behind him, he is one of the best in the sport at launching baseballs. He has a .466 xSLG, a 94.1 mph average exit velocity, an 18% barrel rate, and 44.3% hard-hit rate. Stanton is also still one of the quickest sticks in the game. He has an average bat speed of 79.3 mph.
This is the kind of bat the Yankees need, and on a night where Ryan Weathers was able to take a no-hitter into the 7th inning, Stanton's bat could have made a world of difference. All it takes is one swing, because he has shown himself to be a game wrecker in his career.
A time for Spencer Jones to shine
For now, with no Domínguez, the Yankees are hoping for just about anything from their top outfield prospect Spencer Jones. The results haven't been great, but that's less an indictment of Jones and more about where the Yankees are health-wise.

It's clear the Yankees wanted to be a little more patient with Jones, initially going with Domínguez once Stanton went down. Still, if he wants to ingratiate himself a bit more, coming through with a few of those patented Jones moonshots could make a big difference. The Yankees have cooled off considerably, and fans are looking for something new to get excited about.

Joe Randazzo is a reference librarian who lives on Long Island. When he’s not behind a desk offering assistance to his patrons, he writes about the Yankees for Yankees On SI. Follow him as @YankeeLibrarian on X and Instagram.