In recent years, the New York Yankees have become almost synonymous with injuries, and their fans are all too familiar with seeing their star players frequently land on the injured list. This season, the injury woes began early. Giancarlo Stanton arrived in Tampa already dealing with pain in both elbows before workouts even started. For Stanton, this is nothing new—the powerful slugger has played more than 114 games in a season only once since 2019 (excluding the shortened 2020 season, where he appeared in just 23 of 60 games). Over that span, he’s surpassed 460 plate appearances just once. However, if Stanton can return in time for the postseason and replicate his performance during the Yankees’ 2024 World Series run, fans will likely forgive the absences. After all, this is what they’ve come to expect from him.
But the Stanton news was just the beginning of the Yankees’ bad luck. Alongside a minor issue involving Clarke Schmidt, the team received devastating news about one of their top prospects, who could now miss the entire season.
**Chase Hampton Shut Down with Potential Season-Ending Injury**
Manager Aaron Boone revealed that Yankees’ No. 6 prospect Chase Hampton is undergoing tests for a flexor strain and a UCL issue. MLB.com Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch broke the news on Wednesday, tweeting about Hampton’s latest setback. This comes after an unusual injury last year that sidelined him for most of the 2024 season, during which he pitched only 18.2 innings across seven games. Initially thought to be a UCL problem, the injury was later diagnosed as a flexor strain. The fact that it has resurfaced is a troubling sign for Hampton’s immediate future.
Hampton, who was expected to make his mark in the majors this year, is highly regarded for his deceptive delivery and a diverse arsenal of pitches. His fastball averages 92-94 mph with a high spin rate and impressive movement, and he has posted a 3.45 ERA across four minor-league levels. Scouts have compared his potential to that of a reliable No. 3 starter.
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