Despite the New York Yankees capturing a much-needed win, Monday also came with an unfortunate Giancarlo Stanton injury update: his progress is not on schedule.
In recent years, July has been the month in which the New York Yankees tend to struggle the most, and that is putting it lightly. Injuries are usually one of the main culprits behind what has been dubbed by fans as the annual “June swoon“, though the month in which Yankee fans are at their most miserable is probably July. Before Monday’s 5-1 win in their series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees had won just three out of their last 15 games. Even if they sweep the Rays in this four-game set, New York would only be tied with Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East.
Giancarlo Stanton Injury Update
Manager Aaron Boone informed the media that Stanton has not started running, which is the first step of rehabbing a calf strain. The 36-year-old strained his calf in late April and hasn’t appeared in a game in over 10 weeks. Before going on the injured list, Stanton was slashing .256/.302/.422 with 14 RBI in 24 games.
Giancarlo Stanton (calf) remained in New York and has not resumed running since his recent setback, Aaron Boone said. “We’ve been listening to the body,” said Boone, who added that he does expect Stanton to return at some point this season.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 6, 2026
Stanton’s injury is certainly not what is plaguing the Yankees most right now, but he was the first of a lot of Yankees to go on the injured list within the past few months. The list includes, of course, Aaron Judge at the top, whose absence immediately makes the Yankees massively weaker on the offensive side of the ball. The Yankees have a lot of depth, but many of their secondary players have not been performing as of late, so right now it’s impossible not to miss the reigning back-to-back American League MVP. Outside of Judge and Stanton, a few key Yankee hitters have also missed time within the past month, including Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Ryan McMahon.
Missing Pitching
It’s not just the offensive side of the ball that’s been affected by injuries, though. New York’s pitching has been hit even harder as of late, with Carlos Rodón going back on the IL for the second time this season. Max Fried will also have missed at least two months before returning, though ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reports that Fried will embark on a rehab assignment once he tosses another round or two of live batting practice.
The 32-year-old left-hander hit the injured list after an early exit from his start against the Baltimore Orioles on May 13. Fried ended up having a bone spur in his throwing elbow, which usually takes over two months of recovery time for pitchers. It’s safe to say that the Yankees have certainly missed his 3.21 ERA and 1.005 WHIP in his absence.
Max Fried’s next step will be a live BP on Saturday in Somerset, Aaron Boone said.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 7, 2026
Even New York’s healthy pitchers are doing much to contribute right now, either. Over the last 15 days, the Yankees have surrendered the eighth-most runs, the 10th-most hits, and the 12th-most home runs in MLB. That isn’t a recipe for success, though it’s important to note that the Yankees’ offense has somehow been even worse, which over the last 15 days, ranks 28th in runs and dead last in hits, OPS, and batting average. If there is any silver lining for Yankee fans, this complete collapse on offense does, in a weird way, prove that Judge truly deserves all three of his MVPs.
A Complete Mess
Even if Judge, Stanton, and Fried all returned tomorrow, not much would change simply because there are not many Yankees performing well right now. It doesn’t matter whether they’re labeled as a starter or bench player: the Yankees as a team are in a horrible slump, particularly on offense. The latest Stanton injury update does nothing to quell those concerns, and it worsens them if anything. This team is too talented not to turn it around at some point, but hopefully they can do that before it gets too late.
Main Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
