New York Yankees need to fix Giancarlo Stanton before next season
The 2019 season was one to forget for New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, and it may have cost him a title.
Giancarlo Stanton was amongst the millions that watched Jose Altuve send the Houston Astros to the World Series with one swing of the bat. The big difference is that Stanton was being paid millions by the New York Yankees to watch from a front-row seat instead of playing in the game.
The Yankees prized acquisition from over a year ago was a healthy scratch in the last games against Houston. The most critical time of the year in a fight for a championship, one of the game’s best hitters, was a spectator similar to his entire 2019 season. Stanton was benched in favor of Edwin Encarnacion who had his own struggles in the ALCS and didn’t fare much better.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed his reasoning for sitting the multiple time all-star before game 6 in an interview with the NY Post.
"“Even though Edwin has had some tough games, [I] still feel like he’s got a chance to really impact things,” Boone said. “[I] felt like I wanted him in there today and wanted to keep the infield alignment the same. So it was really just deciding between two outstanding players.”"
The former 2017 National League MVP played in just 18 regular-season games due to a variety of injuries. Stanton was able to show flashes of his power and greatness once healthy, but those moments were few and far between. The struggles to stay healthy and a combination of young outfield talent has Yankees brass in a tight spot considering Stanton’s large long term contract.
The Yankees may want to consider Stanton more a DH and play sparingly at either first base or the outfield. The log jam in the infield could fix itself considering the possibility New York let’s free agent, Didi Gregorius, walk without an offer. The return Miguel Andujar barring a trade is worth a spot in the outfield or the coveted DH role, as well.
Next. The New York Yankees need to salvage a victory at home. dark
The biggest takeaway from this list season is that Stanton needs to be healthy if the Yankees are to have a chance in the future. The lucrative contract will more than likely keep him in pinstripes for years, so they need to act quickly in his overall preservation.