It sure sounds like Yankees are looking at a delayed Giancarlo Stanton return

Giancarlo Stanton was placed on the injured list back on April 28 with what was considered a low-grade calf strain. The New York Yankees initially believed he would avoid an IL stint, but the fans didn't believe that for a second.

Fast forward two weeks later, and we are waiting on a second round of MRI results to "see the comparison" with the initial injury, per manager Aaron Boone. Stanton's been partaking in hitting drills, but he's not yet been able to run.

This comes a day after Boone said Stanton was undergoing more tests on Monday to gauge the healing of his strained calf. They've been hoping he could "ramp up" running this week, but this is sounding like the classic Stanton injury situation.

Here's how it's gone for almost 10 years now:

• Stanton leaves a game with an injury
• The Yankees claim he's day-to-day and are monitoring the situation
• Stanton misses multiple games
• Stanton's condition doesn't improve and the Yankees place him on the IL
• The Yankees say he probably won't be on the shelf for too long
• Ample time goes by without an update on his situation
• Fans either learn of a setback or are told his condition isn't improving as expected
• Stanton ends up missing anywhere between 1-2 months

How much longer can Yankees go without Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup?

Initially, Stanton's absence was creating opportunities for players who fans were hoping could shape the future of the organization. First, Jasson Dominguez got the call. He had a nice little run before suffering an AC joint sprain last week after crashing into the left field wall at Yankee Stadium (he made an amazing catch). Then came Spencer Jones, but Aaron Boone has already taken him out of games twice and benched him on Tuesday night.

At the same time, the struggles of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells have been magnified and fans are getting louder and louder about their failure to produce much of anything at the plate. The Yankees, though still in good shape, badly need Stanton's power and presence back in the lineup. They were able to make do the first week without Stanton, but the last seven days (heading into Tuesday night's game), the team was hitting .209 with a .665 OPS. And the fact of the matter is that, if he's still not cleared to run, we are probably looking at a late-May return.

The sky isn't falling for the Yankees, though some might tell you it is. But the injury to Dominguez just a week after losing Stanton was a killer, especially since Jones is getting his first taste of MLB action. The fact of the matter is Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice can only shoulder the load for so long. That's why the inevitable Stanton injury delay is always a gut-punch for fans, despite the fact they can smell it coming from a mile away.

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