Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton could be ready for games late next week

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton likely will be ready for game action late next week, though the team hasn’t determined whether he will go on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.

Stanton strained his left hamstring while running the bases on June 22 and went on the injured list for the eighth time in six years.

“I just got to stack here a few more days, good days together,” Stanton said Saturday before a 9-1 loss to Tampa Bay. “If I get a few good days this week, make a decision by the end of next week.”

He missed his 21st game of the season after being out for 266 of 708 games in the previous five seasons (38%).

“It’s about the stamina, building it over and over each day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he feels really good, but getting that volume under his belt to where he comes back, it’s ready to roll. So, yeah, now it’s about just stacking days of putting it together.”

Boone wasn’t sure a rehab assignment will be needed.

“The level of things you’re able to replicate now really do speed that clock up,” he said. “And because you’re not building stamina being out there for nine innings in the field necessarily, it’s a little gray.”

Stanton played in 69 of the Yankees’ first 79 games — none in the field — and is hitting .246 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs. New York is 7-14 in his absence.

“Just being out in general sucks and then not being able to help the team at all during any type of stretch let alone a bad one,” Stanton said.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt threw a bullpen session Saturday for the first time since straining his right lat on May 26. Schmidt is expected back in late August or early September.

“Another good step for him,” Boone said.

Right-hander JT Brubaker won’t throw for three or four more weeks after straining an oblique muscle on July 11 at Triple-A Scranton while on a rehab assignment following Tommy John surgery in April 2023.

Scott Effross also is at Scranton working his way back from Tommy John surgery in October 2022. He has made 10 minor league appearances, including eight at Triple-A.

“Still want to see him get to that level where he was before the injury,” Boone said. “I don’t feel like he’s that far off from it.”