Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Activated off IL Following Ankle Injury

The red-hot New York Yankees are getting one of their best players back in the form of outfielder Giancarlo Stanton.

The team announced Saturday that it had activated Stanton off the 10-day injured list after he was placed on the IL on May 25 due to ankle inflammation.

Stanton was enjoying an All-Star-caliber season before getting injured, slashing .285/.339/.523 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI in 40 games.

Since Stanton left during a May 24 win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Yanks have gone 7-2, including a 13-0 drubbing of the Detroit Tigers on Friday.

Hot hitting from MLB home run leader Aaron Judge has played a big role in New York's success, but perhaps the biggest season for the Yankees' winning ways has been the performance of their starting rotation.

Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Jameson Taillon, Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery are all enjoying excellent seasons, and they have allowed the Bronx Bombers to continue winning even with a key hitter like Stanton missing time.

Stanton is in the midst of his fifth season with the Yankees, and he is coming off perhaps his best season with the club in 2021, when he hit .273 with 35 homers and 97 RBI.

Although Stanton has never been named an All-Star during his Yankees tenure, he was a four-time All-Star as a member of the Miami Marlins and won the 2017 National League MVP award after hitting .281 with 59 home runs and 132 RBI.

Stanton has largely been a designated hitter during his time with the Yanks, but that hasn't always been the case this season, as he has made 20 starts at DH and 19 in right field.

The Yankees announced Saturday that they are easing him back into the lineup as a DH against the Tigers, but he will immediately be leaned on as the cleanup hitter.

Stanton gives the likes of Judge, Josh Donaldson, Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres some welcome protection in the lineup and makes the already-feared Yankees even more dangerous.