Stanton ready to hit off tee: 'I'm playing catch-up'

NEW YORK -- Giancarlo Stanton briefly spoke on his way out of the Yankees' clubhouse following Monday's 7-3 victory over the Mariners, his first public remarks since peeling off the team's West Coast trip more than a week ago, but the slugger was unable to offer a timetable for his return.
Sent to the injured list with a left biceps strain sustained on March 31, Stanton is now attempting to manage a left shoulder injury. Stanton confirmed that he saw a specialist in Southern California to address the shoulder, for which he received a cortisone injection on April 25.
"I'm playing catch-up from the biceps injury, so I took a little step back," Stanton said. "[The diagnosis was] just give it some extra time. The biceps blowing out, the whole arm had to get strength to build with each other. Just give it more time."
Stanton did not accompany the Yankees to San Francisco or Arizona, with manager Aaron Boone explaining at the time that Stanton wanted to rehab with trainers with whom he had pre-existing relationships. Stanton said he is scheduled to resume swinging a bat indoors on Tuesday, when he will hit off a tee.
"I'm just going to ramp up and see how it goes," Stanton said. "There's no major update for you guys. Hit tomorrow and go from there."
Stanton played in each of the Yankees' first three games this season, going 2-for-8 with seven walks and four strikeouts. He batted .266/.343/.509 with 38 homers and 100 RBIs in 158 games last year, his first with New York.
Senior Reporter Bryan Hoch has covered the Yankees for MLB.com since 2007.