Giancarlo Stanton to Take Live Batting Practice Monday Against Rodon, Schmidt as Yankees Await Comeback

Giancarlo Stanton is set to take a major step in his lengthy comeback. The Yankees designated hitter is scheduled to take live batting practice on the field at Yankee Stadium on Monday, facing rehabbing pitchers Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt in back-to-back sessions. It’s the clearest signal yet that New York’s middle-of-the-order slugger could finally be nearing a minor league rehab assignment after nearly a full season on the shelf.

Stanton, the 36-year-old former National League MVP, hasn’t played since April 24, when he strained his right calf running the bases against the Houston Astros. The initial diagnosis kept him out into May, and what looked like a steady recovery hit a wall in June when he felt renewed discomfort while running out balls during a hitting session, setting his return back by weeks. He’s since worked through a running progression, received a PRP injection, and gradually built back up his baseball activity, all while managing a lower-body issue that has plagued him for much of his career.

A Long Road Back for the Slugger

The numbers before the injury showed Stanton was still productive in limited time, hitting .256 with three home runs and 14 RBI over 24 games. But 78 missed games later, patience has become the operative word in the Bronx. Manager Aaron Boone has repeatedly declined to put a firm date on Stanton’s return, at one point telling reporters in July there was “no timeline” for a rehab assignment. That uncertainty has hovered over the Yankees clubhouse for months, but Monday’s live BP session against Rodon — with Schmidt lined up to follow — represents concrete, on-field progress rather than another vague update.

Both pitchers Stanton will face are rehabbing arms in their own right. Rodon has been building back up with bullpen sessions, while Schmidt, who underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2025, is working his way back from further down the injury list. The scene at Yankee Stadium on Monday will effectively be a proving ground for three key pieces of New York’s roster at once, each auditioning for a return that could shape the second half of the season.

Why the Yankees Need Him Now

The timing matters. New York has had to navigate long stretches without both Stanton and Aaron Judge in the lineup at various points this season, and the offense has felt the absence of that thump in the middle of the order. Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt have split time at designated hitter and first base in Stanton’s absence, keeping the lineup afloat but without the same power threat that made Stanton a fixture in the cleanup spot during the Yankees’ recent postseason runs.

If Monday’s session goes well, the next step would be a minor league rehab assignment, a formality for most position players but one the team had previously suggested might not even be necessary given how consistently Stanton has been able to hit throughout his recovery. As a designated hitter, he doesn’t need to prove out defensively, which could compress his rehab timeline compared to a typical position player working back from a lower-body strain. Fans tracking the latest MLB odds have watched the Yankees’ postseason positioning shift throughout the summer, and a healthy Stanton returning to the middle of the lineup would be one of the more significant roster boosts New York could get down the stretch.

For now, all eyes are on Yankee Stadium Monday. A clean session against Rodon, followed by another against Schmidt, would put Stanton on a real path back to the lineup for the first time since April — and give the Yankees a version of their offense they haven’t seen in months.