Slugger Giancarlo Stanton was scratched from the lineup after exiting the previous night's win with right calf tightness, and Yankees brass say a trip to the injured list is now in play.
The Yankees scratched Giancarlo Stanton from Saturday's lineup after he exited the previous night's win with tightness in his right calf, and the manager confirmed that a trip to the injured list is on the table depending on imaging.
Stanton's availability has been one of the season's persistent storylines, and any extended absence reshapes the bottom of the order at a time when the schedule is starting to bite. Replacement options are uneven and largely untested in this kind of pressure.
The slugger himself, speaking briefly after the previous night's game, said he felt the calf grab during a routine swing and that he expected the team to take it seriously. The training staff is reported to have ordered additional imaging.
Beyond the obvious lineup math, the timing is awkward. The Yankees were finally riding a hot stretch and had built breathing room atop the division. Losing a middle-of-the-order bat for two weeks would tighten that race in a hurry.