Giancarlo Stanton's absence from Yankees spring training has fans buzzing, and not in the way they'd hoped. Despite manager Aaron Boone's optimistic "full go" comment a couple of weeks back, Stanton's ongoing elbow tendinitis is proving to be a stubborn opponent.
Stanton's struggle with even simple tasks, like opening a bag of chips, highlights the severity of his condition. It's hard to align this with Boone's initial optimistic outlook, leaving fans puzzled about the real status of Stanton's readiness.
Stanton himself remains hopeful, aiming for a full season, though history makes that tough to envision. Since 2018, Stanton has managed more than 114 games in just a single season. The Yankees hadn't indicated any plans to ease Stanton into spring training, which makes Boone's comments even more perplexing.
Boone's earlier remarks about Stanton's offseason progress now seem overly rosy, considering he hadn't yet seen Stanton in action. The lack of any footage of Stanton swinging a bat or participating in batting practice adds to the uncertainty.
Yankees fans are no strangers to the organization's cautious approach to injuries, often downplayed until they can't be ignored. While there's still hope for Stanton to contribute significantly in 2026, the initial excitement has been tempered by the reality of his ongoing battle with tendinitis.
Stanton's potential impact on the Yankees' championship aspirations remains, but the path there looks a bit more challenging than fans were led to believe.