The New York Yankees made a handful of roster moves Thursday afternoon, adding depth while managing a frustrating injury situation.
They claimed right-handed outfielder Brian De La Cruz off waivers from the Atlanta Braves and immediately optioned him to Triple-A Scranton.
To create space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees transferred Giancarlo Stanton to the 60-day injured list — but it’s not panic-worthy.
Though the move sounds ominous, Stanton is still eligible to return in May and has been progressing slowly in workouts.
This was more of a bookkeeping transaction than a major setback, though the wait continues for one of their biggest bats.
Stanton’s recovery continues at a cautious pace
Now 35, Stanton is dealing with tendinitis in both arms, an issue that’s kept him sidelined since spring training.
The slugger is coming off a 2024 season where he hit 27 home runs in 114 games and looked sharp in October.
His playoff performance was vintage — seven homers in 14 games, helping carry the Yankees offensively through high-leverage matchups.
But the regular season has started without him, and although he’s ramping up baseball activities, he’s still not game-ready.
The Yankees don’t want to rush him back too soon and risk re-aggravation, especially given his recent injury history.
A new right-handed bat enters the mix
Brian De La Cruz was added with little fanfare, but the Yankees clearly see some value in the 28-year-old outfielder.
He played 16 games for Atlanta this year, slashing just .191/.240/.213 with a 36% strikeout rate and six percent walk rate.
That line isn’t encouraging, and it led to him being optioned back to Triple-A two weeks ago by the Braves.
But last season, De La Cruz quietly hit 21 home runs across 149 games split between the Marlins and Pirates.
He’s not a defensive standout, but he brings right-handed pop — something the Yankees can stash for depth or emergencies.
What this move says about the Yankees’ strategy
The Yankees aren’t bringing De La Cruz in to be a long-term piece, but he’s a tool they may need later.
He fits the profile of a short-term call-up if injuries strike again or a bat is needed against left-handed pitching.
With Stanton out, the Yankees clearly want insurance, even if it’s currently tucked away in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
This was a no-risk move to round out their bench options and keep flexibility open while they await Stanton’s return.
The clock is still ticking on a key return
Ultimately, the Yankees need Stanton to get healthy — not just for regular season pop, but postseason muscle.
His power is unmatched when he’s locked in, and he gives the lineup length and fear factor few others can replicate.
Until then, De La Cruz is simply a depth piece — a placeholder in case the injuries linger longer than expected.
The real story still revolves around Stanton, and how close he actually is to making his 2025 debut.
Popular Reading
Yankees’ pitching factory produces another elite arm out of thin air
!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(“has-featured-video”,”true”)})}();var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({“div”:”Brid_2109985″,”obj”:{“id”:”30505″,”width”:”1280″,”height”:”720″,”stickyDirection”:”below”,”video”:”2109985″,”poster”:”https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/plugins/tpd-addons/blocks/featured-video/src/img/1×1-white.png”}});https://player.target-video.com/player/build/targetvideo.min.js