Since arriving at spring training, Giancarlo Stanton has been upfront about needing to manage elbow pain when he comes off the injured list.
That return might be near — possibly by the end of this month — as he faced live pitching on Tuesday and felt well enough to take additional batting practice on Wednesday, steadily increasing his activity.
“I’d rather not keep discussing this because I’ve talked about it extensively,” Stanton mentioned on Wednesday regarding his elbow issues. “If I’m on the field, it means I’m fit to play, and there’s nothing more to it.”
Stanton and the Yankees have declined to put a timetable on his return from tennis elbows throughout this process, though his recent transfer to the 60-day IL ensured it will not come before May 23.
But it may not be long after that if the 35-year-old keeps progressing like he has been lately, especially because as a DH he will not need the typical rehab assignment that most would after missing the first two months of the season.
When Stanton has returned from the IL in recent seasons, his rehab assignments (if he took one at all) have lasted just a game or two, because the Yankees feel the work he gets off the Trajekt (a pitching machine that mimics pitch shapes of real major leaguers) and live batting practice sessions are just as beneficial.
Stanton indicated Wednesday he would “probably” need some rehab games depending on which rehabbing teammates were available for him to face in live batting practice before then.
“I know when G.’s in there, he’s ready to go,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-3 comeback win over the Padres in The Bronx. “He’s not going to be in there if he doesn’t feel like he can be really productive. I know when that time comes, when he’s ready to do that, we should be in a good spot.
“Hopefully we’ve done some things in the latter part of the winter into early spring that’ll set him up to be a little more physically able to do it and withstand it, but also obviously understand he’ll probably deal with some things. But he was dealing with it pretty darn well down the stretch last year.”
Jonathan Loáisiga is now on the doorstep of The Bronx, even if he is still about two weeks away from getting there.
Nearly 13 months removed from UCL surgery, Loáisiga had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he threw two scoreless innings Wednesday on 19 pitches with two strikeouts.
If the righty reliever comes out of that well, the rough schedule for him is to pitch again on Sunday and Tuesday before going back-to-back next Saturday and Sunday — the last hurdle for him to clear.
Assuming he does not have any setbacks, Loáisiga could be activated from the IL as early as May 20.
“He looks great,” Boone said. “I’m really excited about where Lo is. When he was throwing bullpens when we got to Tampa [for spring training], I thought it looked great. Then he had a de-load phase where he backs off a little. He’s been really good. He looks good. I’m definitely excited to get him back.
“Lo at his best has been a killer.”
DJ LeMahieu went 2-for-3 while playing seven innings at third base Wednesday for SWB.
Will Warren and Carlos Rodón are listed as the probable Yankees starters for their first two games against the A’s this weekend before “TBA” on Sunday.
That could be when Ryan Yarbrough or Allan Winans slots into the rotation for the DFA’d Carlos Carrasco, though Boone said they would make that decision based on the results of the games Wednesday and Friday — because they may need Yarbrough out of the bullpen before Sunday.
Clarke Schmidt is currently scheduled to pitch on his sixth day Monday, though Boone said that could change if needed.
