A STANTON INJURY UPDATE YOU NEED

The Yankees are winning games, and that's great. But let's not pretend they're blowing the doors off anyone. There's a difference between stacking wins and looking like a team built to steamroll October, and right now, this club falls into the first category.

It's hard to dominate when Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton are all wearing street clothes instead of pinstripes. That's three of the biggest bats in the lineup sitting on the shelf. No trade deadline pickup is replacing that kind of production.

That's why adding Luis García helps. He can chip in, lengthen the lineup, and take some of the pressure off everyone else. But let's be honest: García isn't the story. The Yankees' postseason hopes still hinge on getting their stars back healthy.

There is finally a little good news on the Stanton front.

According to reports, Stanton is expected to face rehabbing left-hander Carlos Rodón in a live batting practice session Monday, followed by Clarke Schmidt on Tuesday. Aaron Boone confirmed Stanton is getting close to that stage, though he stopped short of saying whether Stanton will actually swing the bat or simply stand in the box and let 95 mph fastballs whistle by. Baby steps, apparently. Boone doesn't really know anything anyway. 

Judge's update? Not nearly as encouraging.

There's still no date for new imaging, meaning Judge isn't doing strength work, upper-body workouts, or baseball activities. Translation: don't expect him back anytime soon.

So yes, Stanton may beat Judge back to the Bronx. But neither player's timeline should've changed Brian Cashman's deadline plans. The Yankees had to act as if both were unavailable.

The Yankees deserve credit for hanging around. They've found ways to win while missing the heart of their lineup. But surviving August isn't the goal. 

If this team wants to make noise in October, Luis García can help—but Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton have to be the ones carrying the orchestra.