Giancarlo Stanton took his first public step toward a return to the New York Yankees’ lineup before Tuesday night’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Tuesday marked the first time this season the veteran slugger has hit on the field where reporters could see him. The tendinitis in both elbows, an issue that shut him down early in spring training and kept him from appearing in any Grapefruit League games, had him shut down swinging in January.

Stanton told the New York Post’s Greg Joyce afterward that his elbows are “getting better,” but added he doesn’t know yet how close he is to beginning a rehab assignment.

While that timeline remains unclear, this is truly the first visibly encouraging sign for Stanton in 2025. After years of recurring soft-tissue injuries with the slugger, the Yankees have had to be patient with Stanton’s buildup this season. The team did not place him on the 60-day injured list, leaving the door open for a May return if he continues progressing without setbacks.

In the meantime, the Yankees have relied on a mix of younger bats and platoons at designated hitter. Ben Rice, who returned to the starting lineup Tuesday after missing two games with an elbow contusion, has emerged as a promising option, while players like Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt have taken turns carrying the offensive load. Stanton, 35, hit 27 home runs in 114 regular-season games last year, but was an absolute monster in the playoffs. He hit seven home runs in 14 games to carry the Yankees’ offense.