Yankees finally deliver Giancarlo Stanton injury update we all saw coming

Since the moment Giancarlo Stanton left the New York Yankees for further examination, the team's treatment plan seemed geared not to rush him back.

Aaron Judge spoke about dinners with Stanton and the importance of having him prepared and healthy at the midpoint of the season. Aaron Boone noted the Stanton had returned home for a personal matter rather than further treatment, but it soon became clear that his dually painful elbows were, if not the reason for his departure from the team, intimately involved in the reason he stayed away for so long.

After about a week of silence, the Yankees updated the media midway through Saturday afternoon's game against the Houston Astros.

Stanton received PRP injections in both elbows during his time in New York City, and will begin the season on the Injured List, missing Opening Day for the first time as a Yankee. After battling elbow soreness last year (and throughout October, when his heroics stole the show), the problem now must be addressed, though he is due to return to camp soon.

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton still tending to personal matter, will miss Opening Day on Injured List

Notably absent from the Yankees' announcement, though, were any further details about Stanton's return date and the long-term nature of his stay on the IL. The team also didn't elaborate on the nature of his personal matters, though no one should care about that. Stanton deserves privacy and grace.

According to Meredith Marakovits, Stanton will rejoin the team in the "coming" weeks, though Bryan Hoch of MLB.com pinpointed this week as Stanton's likely arrival date.

This is not a surprise announcement. Any player who arrives to spring training with something nagging and ends up weeks behind will struggle to be ready for Opening Day. Stanton was destined to miss regular season time since the moment this injury was first announced.

Now, the remaining questions involve whether the Yankees will miss Stanton for a long enough period of time to justify an expenditure. How "out of loot" are they, really? Will Nolan Arenado or JD Martinez become options down the line? It's unlikely these questions are addressed until Stanton returns to camp.