Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton returns to New York for personal reasons, Aaron Boone says

TAMPA, Fla. — Asked about the progress of designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton — who because of inflammation in the tendons of both elbows hasn’t done any baseball activities since position players reported for camp — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Sunday that there is “nothing imminent on baseball stuff.”

There was, however, something that was imminent: a visit to New York. But though it initially was reported that the reason was for medical testing, Boone said Monday afternoon that Stanton was in New York for a reason that was “personal in nature.”

“I’m going to leave it at that for now,” Boone said before his team’s rain-canceled game against the Red Sox in Fort Myers.

Asked directly if it had to do with the issues in Stanton’s elbows, Boone said it was “not” related and that “nothing’s changed there.”

Stanton has been able to do only light agility work in the outfield since he reported for spring training on Feb. 16.

As for Stanton’s murky-at-best availability for the March 27 season opener, Boone said: “[I’m] hopeful for a lot, but that will declare itself out however it’s going to. We certainly won’t rush anything with G, but right now there’s really nothing to say.”

When will Stanton return to camp?

“I don’t know. I don’t know. Hopefully soon,” Boone added.

Stanton, who last spoke publicly on Feb. 17, did not paint an overly optimistic picture when it comes to being ready for Opening Day.

“We’ll see how that goes,” said Stanton, who Boone said left Monday morning for New York.

Aaron Judge, speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field, used the word “doctors” in responding to a question about Stanton.

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“Definitely feel for him,” said Judge, who is one of Stanton’s closest friends on the team. “Especially the work he puts in throughout the season and the offseason. The work he did in the postseason for us this past year, he gave it his all. But we’ll see. We’ll see what the doctors say about what’s going on.

“I’ve been checking with him every day, talking to him. We went out to dinner . . . He’s got a positive mindset with everything. That’s what spring training is about. It’s about making sure we’re ready to go for Opening Day or getting ready for the season. If he has some down time right now just to get things right, I want a healthy G for the middle of the season.”

Judge, who called Stanton “one of the strongest [players] physically and also mentally I’ve seen” in the clubhouse and “one of the toughest, hardest-working guys I’ve ever seen,” re-emphasized the point about Stanton’s availability.

“If he needs to take care of something right now, I think it’s the best to take your rest, take your time, do whatever you need to do now and be ready to go,” he said. “If it’s the early part of the season, I’d rather have that than it be something all the way to August, the end of the season.”

Stanton reported with the rest of the Yankees’ position players on Feb. 16, with Boone saying that day that he had been dealing with the equivalent of “tennis elbow” and would not be swinging a bat anytime soon. Stanton said on Feb. 17 that he had not swung a bat in “three or four weeks,” and the day he does swing one apparently is far off.

Stanton said then that it was a condition he dealt with most of last season. That includes October, when he was by far the Yankees’ best offensive performer as they reached the World Series. He batted .273 with seven homers, 16 RBIs and a 1.048 OPS in 14 postseason games.

“I mean, tennis elbow, or whatever they call it, is tears in your tendon,” Stanton said. “It’s not, when did it feel good? When did it feel bad? There’s always a pain level there, and you have to deal with that. It’s just the wisest point to give it time right now.”

The unanswered and most important question right now is just how much time.

With David Lennon

in Fort Myers, Florida