Giancarlo Stanton’s 2026 season with the New York Yankees has been put on pause after only 24 games. During his last game against the Houston Astros on April 24, Stanton was slashing .256/.302/.422 with three homers and 14 RBIs. The Yankees placed him on the injured list, retroactive to April 25, to heal from a right calf strain. But recovery looks different at 36, and the Yankees’ designated hitter has already had multiple setbacks.

The latest came during his rehab on August 20. With a new injury this late in the season, the consequences could be dire for the Yankees’ postseason run.

“Giancarlo Stanton might be out for the season after falling and injuring his other calf while running,” Talkin’ Yanks reported via Bryan Hoch on X.

Stanton and the Yankees were in Houston on April 24, when he injured his right calf while running between the base paths. The Yankees did not place him on the IL until April 28, thinking that the issue would clear up without an IL stint. However, their viewpoint changed after an MRI, which revealed a low-grade strain.

At the time, manager Aaron Boone had emphasized the importance of not aggravating the injury further. What Boone feared happened. In June, Stanton again injured his right calf while running the bases.

However, he was making progress and aiming for a return to the lineup before the end of the season, but those hopes are now almost dashed following his latest injury setback.

“Giancarlo Stanton strained his other calf. He fell while running. Moderate grade strain, Aaron Boone said. He may be out for the season,” MLB reporter Bryan Hoch posted on X.

On August 20, Stanton fell on his back while running between the bases. This time, he injured his other calf. Boone described his latest left calf strain as “moderate” while still trying to hold on to the hope of Stanton making it back for October baseball.

“We’re not ruling anything out,” Boone said before Saturday’s game, per MLB.com. “He’ll obviously continue to work to try to get it right and hopefully be available. Obviously, we’re at a point in the calendar where it gets challenging. But you also never know.”

Only 33 games are left in the regular season before the playoffs begin. Stanton needs to recover quickly if he wants to join the Yankees during the playoffs, but it is easier said than done. Stanton, who is earning $29 million this season, will need to heal his leg fully first before he will be ready for ramp-up, batting practice, and rehab starts.

2019 was a similar year for Stanton, when a multitude of issues with his biceps, shoulders, calf, knee, and quad limited him to only 18 games. He missed playing time in the following seasons as well. Over the years, Stanton suffered from a left quad strain (2021), right ankle inflammation (2022), left Achilles tendinitis (2022), left hamstring strains (2023), and elbow epicondylitis (2025). Missing playing time is not new for Stanton. He has not played a full season since 2018 (158 games, .266 BA).

During the Yankees’ last World Series run in 2024, Stanton had a historic postseason. In 14 games, he hit 7 home runs and 16 RBIs while hitting .273. He also became the ALCS MVP that year. But this time, the Yankees might have to navigate October baseball without Stanton. However, one piece of good news for the Yankees is Aaron Judge’s imminent return. After suffering a stress fracture in his first right rib, Judge has progressed enough to target a September return.