Yankees’ Stanton activated, set for season debut
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Jorge Castillo
NEW YORK — Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton was reinstated from the injured list Monday to make his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels, giving the club a surplus of lineup options.
Stanton was sidelined through Sunday, missing the Yankees’ first 70 games with tendon injuries in both elbows. He played through the joint pain in 2024, including in the postseason when he smashed seven home runs in 14 games, but he was shut down from swinging a bat in January until late March.
He will bat fifth for the Yankees on Monday.
Stanton, 35, was eligible for reinstatement from the 60-day injured list in late May, but the Yankees, not desperate for offense and with multiple choices for DH, did not rush him back. Stanton began a rehab assignment last week, appearing in three games for Double-A Somerset after an extended period taking swings off machines and in live batting practice. He went 3-for-11 with a double, four RBIs, a walk and three strikeouts for Somerset.
On Monday, he took the field at Yankee Stadium for an early batting practice session against a high-speed machine in preparation for his debut.
The Yankees have 16 games over the next 16 days, but manager Aaron Boone does not expect Stanton, whose 429 career home runs lead all active players, to play every day. Stanton’s availability will partly depend on his next-day recovery after a game.
“I would think that things might come up from time to time and that could play into different things on a given day if you feel like it’s best to give him a day,” Boone said. “But I think he’s built some good momentum here over the last couple of months with it. The strength in his hands and things like that has returned in a good way so certainly something we’ll pay attention to but feel like we’re in a pretty good spot.”
Boone has the luxury to play it on the safer side with an offense that thrived without the slugger. The Yankees entered Monday ranked second in the majors with a 123 weighted runs created plus and .794 OPS with Ben Rice, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez primarily cycling through the DH spot.
That’s where things become complicated. Stanton’s return will, as it stands, present a daily lineup puzzle for Boone to solve — not only in the DH slot, but in the outfield where he has Judge plus three players (Dominguez, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham) for two spots (center field and left field). Decisions will mostly come down to workload and matchups.
“I’ve talked to them, and we know what the goal is,” Boone said. “And right now it’s to get to the playoffs and try and win a division and then obviously from there, trying to get to and win a World Series. So, making sure we have everyone on the same page and the buy-in. And there’s going to be days when maybe a guy deserves to be in there, isn’t. Everyone’s not going to be happy about it all the time and that’s OK.”
Stanton’s return most impacts Rice, who has started 43 of the Yankees’ 70 games as their DH. The second-year player began Monday batting .227 with 12 home runs and a .771 OPS.
Boone on Monday repeated that he plans to occasionally have Rice start at catcher to alleviate the logjam and get his bat in the lineup more often.
Rice, 26, was drafted as a catcher and spent most of his minor league career behind the plate, but he has yet to start at the position for the Yankees since making his major league debut last season. Rice has tallied just 6⅔ innings behind the plate in the majors.
Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra have split time at catcher this season, with Wells starting 52 of the team’s 70 games behind the dish.
“I see him playing quite a bit,” Boone said of Rice. “Again, just kind of the matchups. As far as the catching component, I do plan on getting him back there at some point. I don’t know how frequent it would be. Because, again, I really value what J.C.’s done back there. As you’ve seen lately, I do value getting Austin his days so there’ll be a day I get him back there and that can factor into things a little bit.”
The Yankees designated utility man Pablo Reyes for assignment to make room on the active roster for Stanton.
Also Monday, Boone said right-hander Jake Cousins is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery Wednesday.
Cousins spent the first three years of his big league career with the Milwaukee Brewers before joining New York last season. Cousins became a significant part of New York’s bullpen, posting a 2.37 ERA across 37 games during the regular season before allowing five runs in six postseason appearances.
The Yankees expected Cousins to return before the All-Star break when he was placed on the injured list with a forearm strain to begin the season. But his recovery was stalled by a pectoral injury and he was pulled off a recent rehab assignment with elbow trouble. He is now expected to miss a significant portion of the 2026 season.
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Max Olson
FRISCO, Texas — A dynamic new quarterback, a new offensive system and two projected first-round picks up front have Utah coach Kyle Whittingham feeling enthusiastic about the Utes’ chances of bouncing back from a disastrous debut season in the Big 12.
Utah was voted No. 1 in the Big 12 preseason poll last year after joining from the Pac-12, but a brutal run of injuries and inconsistency resulted in a seven-game conference losing streak and a 5-7 finish — the program’s first losing season since 2013.
After weeks of contemplation about his future and what was best for the program, Whittingham, the third-longest-tenured head coach in FBS, decided in December to return for his 21st season with the Utes.
“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note,” Whittingham told ESPN at Big 12 media days Wednesday. “It was too frustrating, too disappointing. As much as college football has changed with all the other factors that might pull you away, that was the overriding reason: That’s not us, that’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”
“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note. It was too frustrating, too disappointing. … That’s not us. That’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on going 5-7 in 2024
Whittingham and Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley conducted a national search for a new offensive coordinator and quickly zeroed in on New Mexico‘s Jason Beck. Then they managed to land Devon Dampier, Beck’s first-team All-Mountain West quarterback, via the transfer portal.
After finishing 11th nationally in total offense with 3,934 yards and 31 total touchdowns and putting up the fourth-most rushing yards (1,166) among all FBS starters, Dampier followed his coach to Salt Lake City and immediately asserted himself as a difference-maker for a program that had to start four different QBs in 2024.
“He’s a terrific athlete,” Whittingham said. “He’s a guy that, if spring is any indication, he’s an exciting player, and we can’t wait to watch him this season. … He’s got that ‘it’ factor. He’s a leader. Needless to say, very excited to see what he does for us.”
They’ve surrounded Dampier with 21 more newcomers via the transfer portal and will protect him with two returning starters at tackle in Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, who are projected first-round NFL draft picks by ESPN’s Matt Miller.
“We feel they’re the best tandem in the country,” Whittingham said. “The offensive line in general, I feel, it’s the best since I’ve been there. And that’s quite a statement. We’ve had some really good offensive lines. We’ve got two first-rounders and three seniors inside that have played a lot of good football for us. That better be a strength of ours, and that’s what we’re counting on.”
Whittingham has previously said he did not want to coach past the age of 65. Now that he’s 65, he acknowledges that he might’ve arrived at a different decision about his future had the Utes ended up winning the Big 12 in 2024. He is reenergized about getting them back into contention, but he’s not ready to say whether this season might be his last.
“The best answer I can give you is, right now, I’m excited and passionate about going to work every single day,” Whittingham said. “As soon as that changes, I’ll know it’s time. I’m just counting on knowing when the time is right. I can’t tell you exactly what the circumstances will be other than losing the fire in the belly.”
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Jesse Rogers
The automated ball-strike system is coming to the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.
MLB officials added the feature to the annual exhibition game knowing it could be a precursor to becoming a permanent part of the major leagues as soon as next year.
The same process used this past spring training will be used for the Midsummer Classic: Each team will be given two challenges with the ability to retain them if successful. Only a pitcher, catcher or hitter can ask for a challenge and it has to happen almost immediately after the pitch. The player will tap his hat or helmet indicating to the umpire he wants to challenge while any help from the dugout or other players on the field is not allowed.
MLB officials say 72% of fans who were polled during spring training said the impact of ABS on their experience at the game was a “positive” one. Sixty-nine percent said they’d like it part of the game moving forward. Just 10% expressed negativity toward it.
MLB’s competition committee will meet later this summer to determine if ABS will be instituted next season after the league tested the robotic system throughout the minor leagues and spring training in recent years. Like almost any rule change, there were mixed reviews from players about using ABS but nearly all parties agree on one point: They prefer a challenge system as opposed to the technology calling every pitch.
As was the case in spring training, once a review is initiated, an animated replay of the pitch will be shown on the scoreboard and the home plate umpire will either uphold the call or overturn it. ABS uses Hawk-Eye system technology which tracks the pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone, providing an instant assessment which can be relayed to the home plate umpire.
The All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday.
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