For two glorious innings, Giancarlo Stanton returned to the Marlins lineup on Saturday. Then he left with discomfort in his right knee.

Not surprisingly, he has been ruled out of the All-Star game as a consequence, and it was later revealed he is now scheduled for surgery.

The MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweeted that news about the All-Star appearance. 

My guess is this will open the door to the Nationals rookie Bryce Harper to make the squad, but back to Stanton.

Stanton was in the game long enough to get an at-bat. He singled and later scored, but the result of his at-bat is of little concern given his new battle with knee pain. 

CBS Sports’ Eye on Baseball reports that Stanton is now going to undergo surgery and will be out four-to-six weeks. 

Stanton had already come to the grips with the fact that he was going to need surgery; he just was hoping it wouldn’t be quite so soon. Last Tuesday, he had an MRI that revealed bodies in his knee. Prior to today’s action, he had been out since Monday. 

While Stanton is surely frustrated about not being able to make his All-Star appearance, it is wise for he and the Marlins to take care of this situation now. He is just 22 years old, and the sky is the limit for this talented right fielder. 

He is hitting .284 with a .364 OBP and 19 home runs and 50 RBI. If he returns to form from this injury and is lucky enough to enjoy a run of good health, this is just the first of many All-Star games he will earn the right to play in. 

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