NEW YORK.- The slugger of the YankeesGiancarlo Stanton is expected to be ready for action late next week, though the team has not made clear whether he will receive a minor league rehab assignment.
Stanton, former player of the Marlinssuffered a hamstring strain while rounding the bases on June 22 and went on the disabled list for the eighth time in six years.
“I just have to get a few more good days together,” Stanton said Saturday. “If I have a few good days this week, we’ll make a decision at the end of next week.”
Including Saturday’s game, he has missed 21 games this season after sitting out 266 of 708 games in his previous five seasons (38%).
“It’s about energy, continuing to add to it every day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he feels great, but he’s got to have that volume to come back and be ready to go.”
Boone is unsure if he will need a rehab assignment.
Stanton played in 69 of the Yankees’ first 79 games — none in the field — batting .246 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs. New York is 7-13 in his absence.
Bradley kept his streak going:
Taj Bradley pitched seven innings of one-hit ball to remain unbeaten in eight straight starts, Randy Arozarena hit two of Tampa Bay’s four homers and the Rays routed the New York Yankees 9-1 on Saturday.
Alex Jackson, Isaac Paredes and Arozarena all homered off Nestor Cortes and Arozarena added another off Josh Maciejewski for his seventh multi-homer game. Maciejewski tied his career high with four hits and Curtis Mead, returning to the majors for the first time since May 3, had three hits, including a go-ahead double in the third.
