The New York Yankees are set to receive a boost to their outfield depth as veteran outfielder Austin Slater begins a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Slater was placed on the injured list on August 5 with a left hamstring strain, sidelining him for nearly a month. His rehab assignment started Friday with the RailRiders, who are in a key late-season series against the Syracuse Mets.
The 32-year-old joined the Yankees on July 30, 2025, in a trade with the Chicago White Sox that sent pitching prospect Gage Ziehl to Chicago. Before the injury, Slater appeared in only three games for New York, recording seven at-bats, one RBI, and four strikeouts. With the White Sox earlier this season, he played in 51 games, hitting .236/.299/.423 with five home runs. Overall in 2025, across both clubs, he has appeared in 54 games, slashing .223/.284/.440.
While those surface numbers are modest, Slater has shown significant value in one key role, hitting against left-handed pitchers. In 73 at-bats versus lefties this season, he has produced a .247 average with five home runs, offering the Yankees a potential matchup advantage late in games or against difficult southpaw starters.
His advanced metrics back up that ability, ranking well in exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage, making him a threat for extra-base power in limited opportunities. Slater’s return is important for a Yankees team facing multiple outfield injuries. Aaron Judge remains limited to designated hitter duties due to a right flexor strain, while Giancarlo Stanton has been forced into occasional right field appearances despite durability concerns.
Utility outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera has been sidelined since spring training, and fill-ins such as Cody Bellinger and Amed Rosario have rotated through the outfield. The addition of Slater gives manager Aaron Boone another right-handed option, particularly in games where the Yankees have lacked balance.
Slater’s major league career began in 2017 with the San Francisco Giants, who selected him in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. Over parts of nine seasons with the Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, White Sox, and Yankees, Slater has appeared in 688 major league games, compiling a .249 career batting average. His most productive season came in the shortened 2020 campaign, when he hit .282/.408/.506 with five home runs and eight stolen bases in just 85 at-bats.
The Yankees are currently chasing the American League East crown, with a five-game winning streak as they push toward another postseason run. If Slater completes his assignment without setbacks, he is expected to rejoin New York in September.
