The Yankees aren’t rushing to find Giancarlo Stanton’s replacement, even as their $325 million slugger faces an uncertain timeline after receiving a second PRP injection for tendon injuries in both elbows.
New York has shown interest in free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez, but those discussions have stalled according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
“The Yankees did reach out on J.D. Martinez, but the sides don’t seem close, as the Yankees don’t want to spend any/much more,” Heyman wrote.
That’s where the luxury tax threshold comes into play. The Yankees are already projected to exceed the $301 million mark, and owner Hal Steinbrenner has made it clear they won’t be taking a “spare no expense” approach this season. It’s a significant shift for a franchise historically willing to outspend problems.
Martinez would be a solid stopgap while Stanton recovers, but the Yankees seem content exploring cheaper internal options. Ben Rice “looks like the top in-house candidate,” according to Heyman. The 25-year-old first baseman/DH has been turning heads in camp and could get his first real shot at the big leagues.
What makes this situation particularly challenging is that there’s no clear timeline for when Stanton will resume baseball activities. The Yankees are essentially flying blind on his recovery, which makes committing significant resources to a temporary replacement a tough sell internally.
The way things are trending, the Yankees seem willing to weather this storm with what they’ve got rather than making a splashy move. It’s a calculated risk for a team already dealing with some grim injury updates, including setbacks to their pitching staff.
