The New York Yankees — already one of the best teams in the American League — just got stronger. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton made his 2025 season debut Monday against the Angels.
He went 2-for-4 with a single and a double before being substituted for a pinch runner in the ninth inning. The Yankees lost 1-0 in 11 innings.
Stanton, 35, is returning from injuries to both his elbows. He was shut down during spring training due to tendonitis in his elbows. He received PRP injections to help the issue in March and has made steady progress since then.
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He started a rehab assignment Thursday and played in three minor-league games. Stanton had three hits in those contests, including a double.
Stanton's return creates a potential roster crunch for the Yankees. With him expected to primarily fill in at designated hitter, the team will need to get creative with lefty slugger Ben Rice's playing time. Rice hasn't hit for a high average in 2025 but has been a solid source of power. The 26-year-old is slashing .227/.311/.460 with 12 home runs in 239 plate appearances. Rice, who played catcher in the minors, could see time at that position with Stanton back.
Since joining the Yankees in 2018, Stanton has experienced an uneven tenure. While he put up strong numbers with the team between 2018 and 2021, injuries have often kept him away from the field. Injuries remain an issue for Stanton — he has averaged 108 games over the past three years — but he has also started to see some age-related decline, hitting .212/.291/.454 since 2022.
Despite that, Stanton still has moments when he looks like a power-hitting superstar. He played a major role in the team's playoff success last season, slugging .273/.339/.709 with seven home runs in 14 postseason games. That performance wasn't enough to lift the Yankees over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series, however.
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Stanton's return comes at a crucial time for the Yankees. While the team has the second-most wins in the American League, it just got swept by the division-rival Boston Red Sox in three games.
Any sadness about that series was immediately erased when the Red Sox shockingly traded slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. That, combined with Stanton's return, should give the Yankees the boost they need to get back on track vs. the Angels.
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