The New York Yankees have kept their lead at the top of the American League East with a 21-11 record, the best in the American League. The combination of power hitters Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, with contact hitters Cody Bellinger and Jose Caballero, has helped the team reach the top so far in 2026.
In 24 games this season, Stanton has slashed .256/.302/.422 with three home runs, 14 RBIs for a .724 OPS. Even with the low count of homers, Stanton’s presence at the cleanup spot maximizes the strength of the order.
Since the 36-year-old Stanton has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a low-grade left calf strain retroactive to April 25, the Yankees have had to call upon prospect Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Stanton has dealt with numerous lower-body injuries in recent seasons, although the return timetables have been inconsistent. In the latest update on his calf strain, Stanton says that he feels that the injury is improving and is happy with the progress. (h/t Meredith Marakovits of YES Network).
The 2017 National League MVP and four-time All-Star is still looking to get his first-ever World Series championship after getting an opportunity to do so with New York in 2024. That postseason, Stanton hit .273 with 15 hits, 7 home runs, 16 RBIs and 9 runs scored in 14 games. In that same postseason, he won his first-ever ALCS MVP award.
The Yankees cannot afford to be without the team’s best power hitter for long. Their lead in the AL East is just 1.5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays. Fortunately for the Yankees, Stanton’s update sounds like his return is coming a lot sooner than later.
