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Yankees outfielder takes step toward injury return
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- Yankees outfielder takes step toward injury return
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The New York Yankees are set to receive a boost to their outfield depth as veteran outfielder Austin Slater begins a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Slater was placed on the injured list on August 5 with a left hamstring strain, sidelining him for nearly a month. His rehab assignment started Friday with the RailRiders, who are in a key late-season series against the Syracuse Mets.
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The 32-year-old joined the Yankees on July 30, 2025, in a trade with the Chicago White Sox that sent pitching prospect Gage Ziehl to Chicago. Before the injury, Slater appeared in only three games for New York, recording seven at-bats, one RBI, and four strikeouts. With the White Sox earlier this season, he played in 51 games, hitting .236/.299/.423 with five home runs. Overall in 2025, across both clubs, he has appeared in 54 games, slashing .223/.284/.440.
While those surface numbers are modest, Slater has shown significant value in one key role, hitting against left-handed pitchers. In 73 at-bats versus lefties this season, he has produced a .247 average with five home runs, offering the Yankees a potential matchup advantage late in games or against difficult southpaw starters.
His advanced metrics back up that ability, ranking well in exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage, making him a threat for extra-base power in limited opportunities. Slater's return is important for a Yankees team facing multiple outfield injuries. Aaron Judge remains limited to designated hitter duties due to a right flexor strain, while Giancarlo Stanton has been forced into occasional right field appearances despite durability concerns.
Utility outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera has been sidelined since spring training, and fill-ins such as Cody Bellinger and Amed Rosario have rotated through the outfield. The addition of Slater gives manager Aaron Boone another right-handed option, particularly in games where the Yankees have lacked balance.
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Slater's major league career began in 2017 with the San Francisco Giants , who selected him in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. Over parts of nine seasons with the Giants, Cincinnati Reds , Baltimore Orioles , White Sox, and Yankees, Slater has appeared in 688 major league games, compiling a .249 career batting average. His most productive season came in the shortened 2020 campaign, when he hit .282/.408/.506 with five home runs and eight stolen bases in just 85 at-bats.
The Yankees are currently chasing the American League East crown, with a five-game winning streak as they push toward another postseason run. If Slater completes his assignment without setbacks, he is expected to rejoin New York in September.
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