Giancarlo Stanton Makes First All-Star Game In Five Seasons | Welcome Back MLBbro Soul Patroller

New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton will be making his fifth All-Star Game appearance on Tuesday and his first appearance as a Yankee.

It’s been five years since Stanton last appeared in an All-Star Game and it will be exciting to see him starting in the outfield alongside teammate and fellow MLBbro Aaron Judge.

Stanton made his debut with the Yankees in 2018 and the spotlight was immediately on him. And he went on to have a pretty productive season, belting 38 home runs with 100 RBI and hitting .266. Those aren’t numbers you see every day, especially when he hit 59 home runs in 2017.

Coming to New York from Florida, Stanton was immersed in a city whose fans are passionate about their team, whether the team is having success or not.

“I understand how much more distractions and noise are here, but that’s also a learning curve as well,” Stanton told The New York Post. “I wouldn’t say nothing bothers me, but in terms of what I can control, I try not to let outside things bother me in terms of preparation or my mindset or how I perform.”

This season Stanton has been focused out there and he’s been one of the most productive players on the team. It’s no surprise he was named a starter in this year’s All-Star Game.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has seen a lot of improvement with Stanton throughout the years.

“I think it’s a tribute to him, to be really strong mentally,” Boone said. “If something good or bad with him happens within the context of the game, he’s really good at just continuing to move on, and ultimately that’s such an important quality to have. … He has that, and I think playing here has just sharpened that.”

“He’s learned how to deal with criticism, noise, good and bad. … And I just think that overall speaks to the kind of pro he is.”

The Yankees have the best record in the league and Stanton has certainly played his part in the success of his team.

“Every time he steps to the plate,” Aaron Judge said, “if there’s bases loaded or nobody on, he has a chance to swing the game in our favor with just one swing of the bat. So it’s been fun to watch him all year do his thing. I’m still waiting for him to get hot. It’s pretty crazy. … I can’t wait to see him go on one of those streaks.”

Stanton could win his first World Series ring at the end of the season. With all the individual accolades that he has received during his career, a World Series title would be the icing on the cake.

It will be exciting to watch Stanton during the second half of the season and he’ll continue to be focused out there and look to put his team in positions to win ball games.