Why Yankees aren't removing Giancarlo Stanton from ALCS roster--for now

New York Yankees right fielder Giancarlo Stanton has been sidelined with a quad injury since Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. That means the Yankees have been playing with a 24-man roster the past two games. Earlier this week, there were rumblings that Mike Tauchman could be the next Yankee to emerge off the injured list and onto the postseason roster should the Yankees advance to the World Series. However, there could be a spot on the ALCS roster should the Yankees choose to remove Stanton due to injury.

https://t.co/rsFTq31sJu Aaron Hicks might not be the only return from an injury surprise for #Yankees this postseason — Mike Tauchman is now in play, Brian Cashman told me.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 15, 2019

The problem is, the Yankees aren't interested in removing Stanton from the roster. The team would lose him for the rest of the postseason should they go that route.

Teams submit a 25-man roster prior to each round of the postseason comprised of postseason-eligible players. A club may request permission from the Commissioner's Office to replace a player who is injured during the course of a series, but that player is then ineligible for the rest of that round and the subsequent round, if there is one. A pitcher may be replaced only by another pitcher, and a position player only by another position player.

Aaron Boone said if Stanton's injury occurred during the regular season, it would definitely require an IL stint. With this being the postseason, the team is being extra cautious. They're hoping Stanton can heal to the point where they can slot his bat in the lineup. But if Stanton can't heal in time, do the Yankees consider replacing him on the roster and risk losing him for the rest of the postseason? The team has Tyler Wade and Tauchman waiting the wings. However, the Yankees really want Stanton's bat against a potent Houston Astros lineup.