The New York Yankees expect to get Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle with the team to face the Dodgers, but another star could also come to LA too.
Injuries have plagued the New York Yankees all season long. Luckily, the club has persevered through much of that to still be in line for an AL Wild Card spot and, sitting six games back of the Rays entering May 30, within striking distance in the division if Tampa Bay or the Baltimore Orioles were to fall off at all.
And now the Yankees are starting to get a bit healthier. Veteran infielder Josh Donaldson and reliever Tommy Kahnle both began rehab assignments recently with the Double-A Somerset Patriots. Moreover, the expectation around the club has been that those two could rejoin New York for a weekend series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
They also might have a superstar friend with them.
Yankees insider Bryan Hoch reported on Tuesday that Giancarlo Stanton, who has been on the IL since mid-April with a bum hamstring and also began his rehab in Somerset on May 30, is a possibility to rejoin New York against the Dodgers, depending on how he performs and feels after a couple of games in Double-A.
Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton could return as soon as Dodgers series in LA
Prior to his injury and IL stint, Giancarlo Stanton was certainly looking like he was in store for a big 2023 season. In 13 games, he was slashing .269/.296/.558 with four home runs and 11 RBI to his credit.
Since his absence, though, the Yankees have been trying to figure out the outfield rotation, albeit without any help from the injury bug hitting elsewhere on the roster, around Aaron Judge. Though there have been flashes from the likes of Harrison Bader and some others, no one has been what you would call a truly adequate replacement for Stanton.
We'll have to wait and see if he feels good enough after the start of the rehab assignment to make the trip to Los Angeles. But even if he doesn't, it's clear that his return is coming soon and, with the position the Yankees are currently in, getting Stanton back into the lineup couldn't come at a better time.