Giancarlo Stanton takes massive step as he inches closer to Yankees return

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.Hours before Tuesday’s 12-3 win over the Padres, the Yankees witnessed an encouraging sight: Giancarlo Stanton was back in the batter’s box in The Bronx and taking competitive at-bats against a pitcher.It represented progress and one more step during a slow buildup process that has an unknown number of steps.For the first time this year, Stanton took live at-bats.

Facing off against the rehabbing Jake Cousins, the slugger saw 10 pitches in which he hit what would have been a groundout to shortstop and drew a full-count walk.Stanton took a few hacks and looked natural as he makes his way back from the elbow tendinitis in both arms.The same ailment bothered him last year, too, and he has required several injections.The Yankees will leave for six games on the West Coast beginning Friday, during which time Stanton will continue his running progression and hit off the high-velocity Trajekt pitching machine, Aaron Boone said.

The manager said he did not know when a rehab assignment will begin or what a rehab assignment will consist of.Stanton no longer plays the field and has bypassed rehab assignments in the past.Cousins, who also faced J.C.

Escarra, threw 15 pitches as he recovers from a right elbow flexor strain.Boone said Cousins “looked good.” Cousins has said he hopes to be ready by early- to mid-June.“I don’t know what exactly his rehab assignment will look like,” Boone said.

“Might be a little different than everyone else’s because we don’t need the field component.”One day after Devin Williams imploded in an eventual loss, Boone again defended a righty still trying to find his way.“I still maintain, like, this is not a pitcher we’re trying to reinvent or a guy that’s past his prime,” Boone said after Williams’ rough eighth inning Monday.“This is still an elite [pitcher], and all the st...