Yankees Injury Updates: Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle Set to Return, Boost Bombers

The Yankees are aiming to get healthier after a successful May.

Recently, the fortunes of the New York Yankees have improved. The Yankees have won four straight games and are 19-9 in the month of May heading into Tuesday night’s series finale against the Mariners. The good news for the Pinstripers doesn’t end there, though, as manager Aaron Boone gave encouraging injury updates on three important players on Tuesday.

Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson, and Tommy Kahnle, a right-handed reliever, could all be activated in time for the interleague road game against the Dodgers that starts on Friday, according to Boone. Before any possible roster changes, all three players will travel to Los Angeles with the team.

Stanton is the most notable of these. With four home runs in 13 games this season, the 33-year-old power threat has a slash line of.269/.296/.558 (130 OPS+). Due to a strained hamstring, he has been sidelined since the middle of April. Of course, Stanton has experienced injuries before, especially soft-tissue ones. Nevertheless, his power potential will be a welcome addition to the Yankee lineup once again. Stanton is now a primary DH, though he still occasionally plays the outfield corners. Indeed, Boone claims Stanton will probably be limited to DH duty while he recovers enough to occasionally patrol the outfield.

A personal hamstring strain has kept Donaldson, 37, out of action since the beginning of April. However, it increasingly seems that Donaldson’s days as a reliable hitter are over. His return will give Boone some roster flexibility in the infield. Prior to getting hurt, Donaldson had a.682 OPS from his first season with the Yankees in 2022, when he was off to a 2 for 16 start this year.

The biceps tendinitis that has kept the 33-year-old Kahnle out of action since February. Along with missing the majority of the previous campaign, he also suffered from forearm inflammation after having Tommy John surgery and was working his back afterward. In 2019, Kahnle was generally in good health and was productive, but it is unclear how much his productivity has been affected by injuries and aging.

With a 34-23 record going into Tuesday’s game, the Yankees are currently third in the challenging American League East.

Reference: www.cbssports.com