Giancarlo Stanton returns to Yankees ahead of big series vs Phillies

PHILADELPHIA – Giancarlo Stanton arrived back in the Yankees' lineup on Monday night.

Ahead of the Yanks’ three-game series opener against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, the slugging designated hitter was activated off the injured list.

“Excited to get him back,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who batted Stanton in the No. 5 spot, between lefty hitters Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm.

“He was the first guy I saw when I walked in this morning,'' said Boone, before the Yankees' 14-4 win against the Phillies.

On a night when the Yankees belted a season-high six home runs - three against starter Zack Wheeler - Stanton went 0-for-4 with a walk.

The free pass came in the ninth inning, against backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, pitching in a blowout situation.

Boone planned to rest Stanton for Tuesday night’s game, and to play him again Wednesday afternoon against Phillies’ scheduled lefty starter Cristopher Sanchez.

Stanton has been rehabbing a strained left hamstring suffered in a June 22 game against the Braves at Yankee Stadium, scoring from second base.

This time, Stanton missed 28 team games, after missing 43 team games with a strained left hamstring that was a grade worse in 2023.

Stanton began feeling ready to go last week, without a minor league rehab assignment, but felt it was “really important to go through the volume, the strain he wanted to put himself through…to make sure he was back,’’ Boone said of Stanton’s hitting and baserunning regimen.

Since that time, the Yankees have sorely missed his middle-of-the-order presence behind Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

At the time of his injury, posted a .795 OPS with 18 homers and 45 RBI in 281 at-bats (69 games).

To make room on the active roster, Jahmai Jones was designated for assignment. The seldom used utilityman was batting .238 with a .685 OPS in just 47 plate appearances since making the Opening Day roster.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Giancarlo Stanton returns to Yankees ahead of big series vs Phillies