Report: Yankees May Have Both Stanton, Judge Back During Next Homestand, Still 'Lukewarm' On Bumgarner
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The offensive reinforcements are coming. The help on the mound? It's hard to say.
According to a report in the New York Post, the Yankees are expected to get slugger Giancarlo Stanton back in the lineup on Monday and Aaron Judge at some point during that same 10-game homestand, which will feature key series against AL East rival Tampa Bay and AL West-leading Houston, currently the owner of the best record in the majors.
Stanton, who has played in just three games this season due to shoulder and calf injuries, has looked like his superstar self during his rehab assignment, going 4-for-7 with three home runs for Class A Advanced Tampa. He is expected to play for Triple A Scranton-Wilkes Barre this weekend before making his way to the Bronx.
"I felt good, my timing's getting there," Stanton said. "I think I'll play through the weekend in the minors, and then hopefully get back [to the majors] next week."
MORE: Yankees Injuries: Judge Could Be Back By End Of June
Judge, who is batting .288 with five homers and 11 RBIs in 20 games this season, is working his way back from an oblique strain and could join Stanton at Scranton-Wilkes Barre this weekend.
"He's potentially game-ready somewhere this weekend," Boone said of Judge. "He's doing really well. It's a decision we'll make over the next few days."
The first-place Yankees (41-25) have picked up the slack offensively while their two top power hitters have been out, but their starting pitching hasn't been great. Masahiro Tanaka allowed four earned run in six-plus innings in the Bombers' 12-5 win over the Mets in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader and James Paxton got lit up to the tune of six earned runs of 2 2/3 frames in a 10-4 loss in the nightcap.
New York, which has been without ace right-hander Luis Severino all season due to injury and was forced to put his replacement, Domingo German, on the IL recently, has a 3.99 Team ERA, enough for seventh overall in MLB. However, its starters have pitched to just a 4.02 ERA and are ranked 12th with a 31.8 quality start percentage, getting just 21 in 66 games. In other words, the starters aren't going deep in games and the relievers are getting too much work.
Yet general manager Brian Cashman was outbid by the Atlanta Braves for rare in-season free agent Dallas Keuchel and so far has not shown too much urgency in finding anyone else. The Post reported Thursday the Yankees are only "lukewarm" on the idea of trading for San Francisco Giants postseason legend Madison Bumgarner, even though he has pitched much better of late. Bumgarner, who has a 3.83 ERA in 14 starts this season, reportedly has the Bombers on his eight-team no-trade list, but insiders believe he'd approve a trade in exchange for more security. The 29-year-old left-hander is scheduled to be a free agent at season's end.
The Yankees reportedly have interest in Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, and have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for other starters expected to be dealt by the July 31 trade deadline.
New York will send veteran left-hander J.A. Happ to the mound on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against the White Sox in Chicago.