Giancarlo Stanton Injury: Could return in late May

The Yankees haven't ruled out Stanton (elbows) being activated from the 60-day injured list when he's first eligible in late May, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Stanton began taking batting practice in late April after previously being limited to hitting off a machine. The veteran slugger missed all of spring training due to a severe case of tendinitis in both elbows, so it's likely he'll need to get in some minor-league rehab appearances before he's ready to join the big club. That said, Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted Tuesday that Stanton's rehab will be different than the norm since he doesn't need to get ready to play the field. When Stanton is able to make his 2025 debut with the Yankees, he'll likely take over as the team's primary designated hitter, though that would create an interesting situation with Ben Rice, who has thrived in that role so far this season.