Giancarlo Stanton injury status: Yankees DH will 'probably' return ahead of pivotal series vs. Phillies

The New York Yankees are hopeful that designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton will make his return to their lineup as soon as Monday, according to what manager Aaron Boone told the Associated Press before Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox . The Yankees are scheduled to begin a road series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. (Major League Baseball's trade deadline, meanwhile, will pass on Tuesday, suggesting it could be a busy few days for the Yankees.)

"He'll probably be back -- we're shooting for Monday in Philly, but we'll see also how these next couple of days go, too," Boone told reporters. "I know he's doing a heavy day back there today, so let's get through that and see where we're at."

Stanton has not appeared in a big-league contest since straining a hamstring on June 22.

Stanton, 32, had batted .246/.302/.492 (119 OPS+) with 18 home runs and 45 runs batted in over the course of 69 games before his deactivation. During his absence, the Yankees have largely deployed Aaron Judge at DH, opening a spot in the outfield for veteran Trent Grisham to receive more playing time than he did during the early going.

Unfortunately, Stanton is no stranger to injuries. His most recent stay on the shelf was his sixth since the start of the 2021 season. In turn, Stanton has played in just 419 games dating back to Opening Day 2019.

The Yankees could use the boost provided by Stanton's bat. New York entered Saturday having dropped three in a row and five of its last six games. The Yankees, who led the American League East by 1 1/2 games the last time Stanton played, now trail the Baltimore Orioles by two games.