KANSAS CITY — Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton looked ready to face better pitching Wednesday when his second rehab game in two days with the Somerset Patriots began with another impressive piece of hitting.
Batting in the first inning after leadoff hitter George Lombard Jr., reached on an error, Stanton lined an opposite-field, run-scoring double to right-center field off Portland Sea Dogs left-hander Connelly Early, a 2023 fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Virginia who is ranked the Red Sox’s ninth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
The rest of Stanton’s day was uneventful, as he finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout, leaving him 3-for-7 with a walk and four RBIs in two games.
In the same game, a 4-3 Somerset loss, Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman turned in a pretty solid first rehab outing, one run on one hit over 3.1 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
While Stroman still figures to be at least three weeks away from being an option for the Yankees because they’re building him up to be a starter, it’s decision time on Stanton, who has been out all season with tennis elbow in both arms.
“I watched Giancarlo’s ABs from (Tuesday) night,” Boone said. “He looked really good. I texted with him a little bit about it. He felt good about it, so we’re moving in a good direction.”
Stanton probably will get a rest day on Thursday, then either continue playing another game or two for Somerset this weekend or come off the injured list and join the Yankees for their weekend series in Boston.
“We’ll see what the next step is for (Thursday) and then all through the weekend,” Boone said.
Sidelined since late April with a sore knee, Stroman departed after starting the fourth inning with a three-pitch strikeout. He threw 46 pitches, 27 for strikes.
“It looked like Stroman was throwing a tough-and-feel bullpen,” a scout in attendance texted NJ Advance Media.
According to a scout, Stroman was throwing mostly sinkers and cutters while mixing in an occasional changeup and curve.
Stroman worked a 1-2-3 first inning, then walked the leadoff hitter in the second and it led to a run on a two-out hit.
“It looks like a good step for him,” Boone said.
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