Giancarlo Stanton Says He Could Return to Yankees' Lineup By End of May Amid Injury

New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who has missed the entire 2025 season due to torn tendons in both elbows, confirmed to reporters Wednesday that he could return by the end of May, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo.

Wednesday marked the first time Stanton has seen live pitching all year after he took live batting practice before his team's home game against the San Diego Padres.

Stanton is currently on the 60-day injured list, so the earliest he can return is May 27, per Castillo. The Yanks play at the Los Angeles Angels on that evening.

Stanton told reporters that he expects to go on a rehab assignment, but he isn't sure of the timetable as of now.

Per Castillo, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Stanton wouldn't need a long rehab assignment given that he's a full-time DH.

Stanton has dealt with a host of injuries over the past six years, notably playing over 114 games just one time in a full season (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign) since 2019.

At his best, though, Stanton is a tremendous asset. He amassed 27 homers and 72 RBI in just 114 games last year before adding seven homers and 16 RBI in 14 playoff games, winning American League Championship Series honors along the way.

So the Yankees would certainly welcome him back, even though Ben Rice has been excellent as the team's primary designated hitter (.935 OPS heading into Wednesday). Stanton is still a great power threat when healthy, and the Yankees could certainly use more bats, especially given that the team's lack of pitching depth has shown with Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil both injured.

For now, Wednesday served as a great next step for Stanton as he works his way back into the mix.