Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Boone hope days off will keep slugger off the IL

BALTIMORE — Giancarlo Stanton isn’t injured, but he and the Yankees are actively working right now to try and prevent one. The Yankees slugger was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day as he tried to battle through “exhaustion,” and generally being “beat up.”

“He wants to give me extra time. I am just beat up a little bit overall,” Stanton said before the series finale against the Orioles at Camden Yards. “But I am fine. I will be in there Tuesday or later today.”

Stanton missed nine games on the injured list earlier this season with leg issues, which he has struggled with in the past. He said Sunday morning that this “is making sure it doesn’t get there,” to the IL.

Neither Stanton nor Aaron Boone would discuss what the particular issue is right now.

“I just think it’s the middle of the rough stretch of a grueling schedule and stuff and I just think he’s a little beat up, but nothing that I’m concerned about,” the Yankees manager said. “Biggest thing for me is with the off day tomorrow. I just feel like it’s time that gives him a little bit of a reset that I think is going to serve him really well and ultimately serve us really well. I don’t want to push through something right now to where I feel like this is that time when in the past where he gets a little vulnerable with some things and it’s not something I want to mess with right now.”

Since winning the Most Valuable Player award at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, Stanton has gone 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts in 10 plate appearances.

“There’s no injury stuff going on. Other than he was a little exhausted going into the break and coming out, I sensed that a little bit,” Boone said. “Really it’s just my call saying I think it’s wise we take a couple of days right now and get him to where (he’s) the wrecking machine that he is, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use him today.”

Boone said the plan is for Stanton to be in the lineup and the outfield on Tuesday for the Subway Series.

KING EXPLORING OPTIONS

Michael King will need surgery on his fractured right elbow, but the right-hander and the Yankees are still seeking advice from doctors.

“It’s getting a couple of opinions and making sure we’re all buttoned up and then obviously then you have decisions to make,” Boone said. “But the one thing we know is obviously the elbow fracture was confirmed and that’s going to be something that definitely needs to be taken care of.”

King will need surgery to repair the fractured bones in his elbow, but there is the possibility that he is facing Tommy John. Boone said they “don’t know the extent of that,” when asked if there was damage to the ulnar collateral ligament. A team spokesman clarified that to mean they don’t know if there is zero damage or more.

The outlook for King’s career are vastly different options. Surgery for a fractured bone would have King coming back around time for spring training. Tommy John surgery, even the new advanced elbow reconstructions, would have him missing a significant portion of the 2023 season.

“Those timelines are quite a bit different,” Boone said.

INJURY UPDATES

Aaron Hicks, who left Sunday’s game in the ninth inning, just had cramping in his left hamstring. The outfielder said he felt he would be ready for Tuesday’s Subway Series opener at Citi Field.

Right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio was activated off the IL Sunday. The Toms River, NJ native has pitched to a 2.33 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched over 17 appearances this season. To make room on the roster, the Yankees designated Shane Greene for assignment.

Miguel Castro, on the injured list with a shoulder strain, is still at the very beginning of a shutdown that will likely have a few more weeks of “no throw.”

Luis Severino, on the IL with a strained lat muscle, is getting closer to picking up a ball and starting to throw again.

“Sevy’s doing well,” Boone said. “So he’ll be hopefully reevaluated in the next three to four days to begin his throwing program, but he’s doing well.”

Zack Britton, who had offseason elbow reconstruction surgery, is close to another step in his rehab, Boone said.

“I know he is scheduled to face live hitters for the first time probably in the next 10 days or two weeks,” Boone said. “So again, if that stuff continues to go well, you can kind of timeline it out from there. There’ll be at least a handful of  facing live hitters  before something like (a minor league rehab assignment) begins but he’s moving in a good direction.”

SUBWAY SCHEDULE

Jordan Montgomery is scheduled to start Tuesday night’s game against the Mets at Citi Field. The Yankees are tentatively planning to start Domingo German on Wednesday, but Boone said that was not set in stone.

“With the off day (on Monday), we may want to change some things around,” Boone said.

He planned to discuss it with pitching coach Matt Blake before committing.