Knee strain lands Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton back on IL

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is going back on the IL after injuring his knee on Tuesday on a slide into third base.

A seemingly harmless play on Tuesday night has landed New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton back on the IL.

Stanton was on first base in the bottom of the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays when Luke Voit hit a hard grounder to third. Blue Jays’ third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made a diving stop on the ball and threw out Voit, with Stanton sliding into second. Seeing a base open, Stanton then tried to reach third but was tagged out on a slide by pitcher Clayton Richard.

Stanton originally appeared unharmed by the play and stayed in the game to play left field. He was finally taken out to begin the fourth inning and replaced by Brett Gardner.

Manager Aaron Boone said earlier on Wednesday that tests on Stanton’s knee were reassuring and that the club would watch how he heals over the next few days. But later in the day, Chris Ryan of the Star-Ledger reported that Stanton has a PCL strain in his knee and is going on the IL. The Yankees are off on Thursday and Friday before beginning a series with the Boston Red Sox in London, but Stanton will not make the trip.

This latest injury continues a frustrating season for the All-Star slugger. Stanton played just three games to begin the season before suffering a biceps strain on March 31. While rehabbing that injury he strained his left shoulder. He only returned to the Yankees lineup on June 18. Stanton has played in just nine games so far this season with one home run and seven RBI.

The Yankees, though, without Stanton and fellow slugger Aaron Judge for a good part of the year, haven’t lost any power in their lineup. In their absence, Gary Sanchez has hit 23 home runs, second in the American League, while the newly-acquired Edwin Encarnacion, the AL leader with 24, has hit three with New York since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners.

A home run by Didi Gregorius on Wednesday against the Blue Jays extended the club’s streak to 29 straight games with a home run, a new Major League record. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 8-7 to sweep the three-game series and have now won 11 of their last 12 games.

The Yankees are currently 52-28 and lead the Tampa Bay Rays by 6.5 games in the AL East.