Stanton (elbows) back at Yanks camp, set for third PRP injections

TAMPA, Fla. -- Giancarlo Stanton returned to Yankees camp on Friday, having spent 11 days in New York attending to a matter the team described as ¡°personal in nature.¡±

While in New York, Stanton received a second round of platelet-rich plasma injections in his ailing elbows, which have prevented him from performing baseball activities. The Yankees said Stanton will have a third set of injections administered on Monday.

¡°We¡¯re just moving slowly with it,¡± manager Aaron Boone said. ¡°Hopefully we get to a point where we start ramping him up.

¡°The biggest thing that is going to take some time is the ramp-up, because of having the downtime and wanting to get at-bats and things like that. It seems like he¡¯s in a good frame of mind. We¡¯ll just listen to the body.¡±

Before leaving, Stanton said he had not swung a bat since mid-January because of consistent pain, which Boone has likened to tennis elbow. Stanton said the issue bothered him throughout the 2024 season, including during the American League Championship Series against the Guardians, when he earned MVP honors.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said surgery would be ¡°a last resort,¡± and that the PRP injections should permit Stanton to play at some point this season. Stanton will begin the season on the injured list, and Boone said he doubts Stanton will be ready to play in Grapefruit League games before the Yankees break camp.

¡°This is something that¡¯s going to cost us a little bit on the front end, but hopefully serves us well over the long haul,¡± Boone said.

Stanton¡¯s absence could spell additional turns in the DH role for Aaron Judge, though Boone has said he values Judge¡¯s defense in right field. Boone has listed Ben Rice, J.C. Escarra, Dom Smith and Everson Pereira among the club¡¯s other in-house DH options.

Stro show
Marcus Stroman looked sharp in his third Grapefruit League start, limiting the Blue Jays to Nathan Lukes¡¯ solo homer and one other hit over three innings. Stroman walked none and struck out two, tossing 33 of 50 pitches for strikes.

¡°I¡¯m just trying to be healthy and get the reps in, and just get the workload at this point,¡± Stroman said. ¡°I feel like Spring Training is definitely a priority, and just being healthy. For me, it¡¯s mechanics; just being as repeatable as possible and finding my mechanics.¡±

Stroman is likely to begin the season as the Yankees¡¯ fourth starter, with Boone saying Friday that Clarke Schmidt will remain behind in Tampa when the Yankees go north.

Schmidt, who was slowed this spring by back stiffness, is scheduled to throw a simulated game on March 28 and will line up to pitch the Yanks¡¯ sixth game of the regular season against the D-backs on April 3.

Matzek shelved
The Yankees gushed about Tyler Matzek¡¯s scoreless appearance on Feb. 25 against the Twins, seeing signs that the left-hander has reclaimed the form that made him a trusted bullpen weapon for the Braves during their 2021 World Series run.

As he traveled home from Fort Myers, Fla., that night, Matzek noticed tightness in his right abdominal, thinking little of it. It persisted a few days later, prompting an MRI that showed an oblique strain. The injury takes Matzek out of consideration for the Opening Day roster, though he is now said to be asymptomatic and could resume throwing on Monday.

¡°The game has a way of humbling you very quickly,¡± Matzek said. ¡°I felt like I was on the right track in the first Spring Training game. Let¡¯s just get healthy and get back out there, and we¡¯ll see after 162 [games] if I¡¯m able to get guys out.¡±

The Yankees project to carry eight relievers to begin the season, and there are six locks: Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Tim Hill, Ian Hamilton, Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. Yoendrys G¨®mez is out of Minor League options and could be used in a long relief role, potentially leaving one spot still up for grabs.