 into this series. One of the storylines was that John Carlos Stanton was most likely going to play in left field. We have not seen it and we will not see it this afternoon. Aaron Boone said the plan was for him to play left field today. However that changed when Gittens was placed on the injured list. Gittens was going to DH and John Carlos Stanton was going to be in the field but with no Gittens they decided to keep John Carlos Stanton as the designated hitter. Also speaking of Stanton he did have a bloop single yesterday that led to a lot in that eighth inning the rally of the Yankees coming back but overall at the plate he has looked a little uncomfortable this series. I asked Aaron Boone what he's been seeing from Stanton at the plate. I mean that's and that's what you see sometimes from G is you know he'll have those at bats where he's you know off balance and and a little disjointed but he you know that's that's just him and and even even within those at bats he can lock it in and smoke a couple balls. So it doesn't always look pretty when he makes outs but you know he's he's so he's so smart and so disciplined to his plan that he can go up there and next thing you know it's 115 off the bat and it's a it's a big in a big situation so you know I think he's obviously always working to kind of get in that strong hitting position and and to be athletic up there but you know I yeah I think these last few days is there's been some at bats where he's just been off balance a little bit. Aaron is it almost odd to see with such a talented hitter that it is so feast or famine with him? Um Jesus unique as they come um but that's part of you know I think you know I think he doesn't make the most conventional outs in the world and he doesn't you know and he hits the ball like no one else in the world when he hits it hard so and I think part of that is um you know he's he will sell out to a plan and sell out to what he's looking for and he's really good at processing information and processing um the experience he he has when he faces hitter faces pitchers over and over um so it's just not conventional but it's really productive. While the Yankees got Giorgio back this afternoon they still have two key players on that COVID list Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka Aaron Boone said the plan remains the same they're expected to come here to Fenway at some point in time and travel with the team to Tampa they will work out tomorrow on the off day and then the Yankees will determine whether or not they need more time to get ready to come back but it looks like both of those guys should return at some point in time during that race series. Now as far as this afternoon is concerned Bobby already mentioned the fact that Domingo Herman will get the ball he actually walked out just a little while ago to start warming up now this is a guy that did not pitch at all in 2020 and you wonder if the Yankees are going to have to limit his innings at some point in time this is just his second start of the second half and I asked Aaron Boone about the plan for Herman moving forward. I feel like he's in a good spot um you know you know I think in some ways you know with with the weather and with the all-star break and obviously missing some starts maybe that's something that you know buys him a little bit of freshness down the down the stretch and you know preserve some of his innings for us. So like you said it wasn't necessarily by design but I feel like he's physically in a good spot to keep going out there and giving us giving us starts. Has that been anything that's been addressed or is that just something where you you ride him until it looks as though he's fatiguing and then make a decision? Um yeah I mean it's something we kind of monitor all the time with all our guys. I feel like with all the guys in the rotation right now they're they're in pretty good standing and in line to you know uh you know hopefully finish the season strong um and on pace to not go you know to an area we're uncomfortable with.