Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Out of Lineup Against Orioles With Quad Injury

Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton was scratched from New York's starting lineup Friday night with left quad tightness, the team announced less than an hour before first pitch. 

Gary Sánchez will get the start in the DH spot against the Baltimore Orioles in Stanton's place. 

Stanton hasn't just been the Yankees' best hitter this season, he's been one of the most dangerous batters in the league. The slugger is hitting .378 (28-for-81) in his last 18 games, recently snapping a 12-game hitting streak. 

On the season, Stanton is batting .282/.347/.534 with nine home runs and 24 RBI. His nine long balls are tied for sixth-most in baseball entering play on Friday. 

Injuries have played a big role in the first few years of Stanton's tenure in pinstripes. Last year, Stanton missed 32 games with a left hamstring strain. In 2019, the slugger wound up on the 60-day injured list with a right knee sprain. 

In fact, playing in 33 games so far in 2021, Stanton has already eclipsed his total of games played in each of the last seasons. 

News of Stanton getting scratched came shortly after it was revealed that center fielder Aaron Hicks has a torn sheath in his left wrist. The outfielder could need surgery, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

Although it's a fluid situation, there's a chance Hicks could be out for an extended period of time. With a lack of production from the rest of New York's outfielders this season—other than right fielder Aaron Judge—Boone was asked if he'd consider playing Stanton in the outfield on defense.

"I'm definitely considering it and talking to it. I've talked to G about a little bit, he's certainly open to it," Boone said. "He's making sure he's doing plenty of running to kind of condition himself for that possibility. I have not committed yet to, to putting him out there. But it is something that I'm considering."

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