Aaron Boone Snaps at Reporter Over Giancarlo Stanton’s Calf Injury: ‘You Don’t Need to Keep Asking’

Aaron Boone is tired of the Giancarlo Stanton questions. And after weeks of the same answer, he finally said so.

The Yankees manager snapped at a reporter Thursday when asked about the continued delay in Stanton’s return from a calf strain. According to Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch, Boone’s frustration was barely concealed as he explained the situation.

“It just needs to get to a level intensity-wise with the running,” Boone said, per Hoch. “You don’t need to keep asking. I mean, he’s running. When it gets really close to, like, ‘OK, it’s getting close to be in a game,’ or something, we’ll let you know. It’s not there yet.”

The exchange was brief but telling. Boone has been fielding questions about Stanton for months now, and the answer hasn’t changed. Stanton is running. He’s not close to playing. No timetable exists. That’s where things stand.

But for Yankees fans, that’s exactly the problem. Stanton hasn’t played since late June. He went on the injured list in May with a hamstring issue, then suffered a setback. This time it’s the calf. He’s played just 24 games all season. His numbers — .256 with three homers and 14 RBIs — aren’t anywhere near what the Yankees need from their designated hitter.

Ben Rice has been filling in at DH, starting 44 games there. Paul Goldschmidt has rotated through the spot too. Neither is Stanton at his best, but Stanton at his best has been hard to find for years.

Boone’s frustration likely comes from the repetition. He’s been asked the same question in different forms for weeks. The truth is, there’s nothing new to report. Stanton is rehabbing. He’s not close. The team will announce when he is. But the Yankees offense is struggling, and missing both Stanton and Aaron Judge (who’s also dealing with an injury) has made things worse.

The trade deadline is approaching. The Yankees still don’t have a clear plan at DH. Whether that pushes them to make a deal for a bat — or forces them to wait on Stanton — is the real question nobody’s asking Boone.

For now, he’s done answering. At least for today.