Aaron Boone Provides Important Injury Updates on Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius

Breathe, Yankees fans. The recoveries of Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius just took a massive step in the right direction.

The last we heard of Stanton came on May 9 when manager Aaron Boone claimed there was no timetable for his return. Gregorius' update came a day later when Boone claimed that All-Star shortstop would begin playing rehab games within 10 days.

Well, fast forward 10 days and Boone has revealed that Giancarlo will start a rehab assignment with Class-A Tampa on Monday. Didi will begin playing extended spring training games on Monday and could return to the majors as early as June.

Stanton hit the IL back on April 4 when upon suffering a bicep strain on what was described as an abnormal swing. His status worsened when he picked up a shoulder ailment during his rehab, setting him back far longer in his return to the Bronx.

Gregorius, on the other hand, underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow in October, and has been sidelined since.

We'd say that their returns couldn't come soon enough but that has been anything but the case, as replacement-level players have carried this Yankees team to the top spot in the AL East.

The "next man up" strategy has served the Bombers well, but the team is keen on having its starting cast return to the fold, and it looks like Stanton and Gregorius may be the next pair in line to come back.