The New York Yankees have placed two players on the injured list over the past three days after not placing a player on the IL all spring. This one is hardly a surprise to most. DH Giancarlo Stanton has landed back on the IL with a low grade calf strain. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the diagnosis post-game Monday after an MRI. The Yankees have re-called Jasson Dominguez from AAA Scranton to take his place.
About Stanton’s Injury
Stanton felt discomfort on the base paths Friday at Daikin park. He signaled to manager Aaron Boone while on second base that something did not feel right and after advancing to third base on a single (where he could have scored), he was removed from the game. Initially, it was downplayed. The Yankees thought they dodged a bullet. They did not. After keeping Stanton on the bench, the Yankees did the smart thing and placed him on the IL Monday ahead of their series against the Rangers. Stanton is good for at least one IL stint a season, so this is not new. The Yankees have the depth in AAA to overcome a Stanton IL stint.
Giancarlo Stanton exited the game after running to third base pic.twitter.com/9Mv0OsqKjh
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 25, 2026
The Return of The Martian
With the DH spot re-opening, Dominguez is back with the MLB team. Due to the way the roster was constructed, Dominguez was the odd man out in spring training. So far in AAA, he is crushing right-handed pitching. Dominguez is slashing .311/.407/.419 with a .826 OPS this season. Against lefty pitching, he has held his own, with a .772 slugging percentage and 1.172 OPS against southpaws.
Dominguez will get the chance to earn a full-time spot on the MLB roster. In 2025, Stanton went down, and Ben Rice emerged as an everyday player that could not be taken out of the lineup. Dominguez can do the same thing. If he performs in the at-bats he gets, Dominguez could be a mainstay.
The issue with Dominguez is his outfield defense. That has not changed so far at AAA. He is working on his approach to left field, but nothing has changed. The good news is the DH spot is open for him to take, until Stanton returns.
(Top Image Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)
