We’ve heard all athletes talk about when they know it’s the end of the road in their professional playing career. They talk about how their love diminishes; they talk about the lack of motivation for going through the grind of the offseason, but the main one you hear, especially from those who play more seasons than the average player, they mention the body breaking down as a reason to hang it up.
Could this be the case for Yankees star slugger MLBbro Giancarlo Stanton? The 36-year-old has seen more than his fair share of injuries, especially during his Yankees tenure. The numbers are staggering with how many games Stanton has missed.
Same Story, Different Season?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Since he was traded to the club in 2018, Stanton has been active for only 57.7% of the team’s total games; not playing over 150 games since his debut year and hasn’t surpassed playing 120 games since 2021. All while playing on a massive 13-year $365 million-dollar deal.
Injuries happen. We all know this. Especially in a grueling 162 game season that would break down any player. The issue is, Stanton has barely played both sides of the ball during his Yankees tenure to explain the wear and tear. Between 2019 and 2026, Stanton played the outfield in only 124 games. This is a steep drop off from Stanton’s time with the Miami Marlins (2010-2017) where Stanton fielded over 100 games on average minus one injury plagued season in 2015.
The Yankees knew what player they were getting when they traded for the former Marlins star in 2017 and knew the effect that both hitting and fielding would have on their star player and decided to switch him to being a designated hitter to try and minimize his injuries while capitalizing on his dangerous swing that can turn any game on its head for the opposing team.
The Million-Dollar Question…
This brings up an interesting question; Did the position switch help or delay the inevitable? This must be a question swirling in heads from the owner down to the manager after learning that Stanton suffered another setback with a calf injury trying to return to a team riddled with injuries, including MLBbro Aaron Judge.
The Yankees have been holding on without their star MLBbro’s, but it’s not secret they need them if they have any aspirations of challenging for a World Series championship. Their batting average as a team plummeted to .229 without them. While the Yankees offense is eighth best in MLB, their batting average is ranked in the cellar at 28th, the second worst batting average in the league.
Make no mistakes about it. Judge is absolutely the star in the lineup, but Stanton is a close second with his ability to change any game within a blink of an eye. The Yankees, Judge, and even Stanton know this which makes every injury so heartbreaking not only for him, but everyone on the team as well as the fans.
A Potential Ending All Too Familiar
Mike Vaccaro from the New York Post made a comparison bringing up Stanton’s injuries resembling NBA great Bill Walton. A game changing player with immense talent, but the body said no to prolong sustained greatness. Will Stanton have the same story?
Stanton is currently sitting at 456 career home runs and close to being in the elite club of being one of only 30 players to cross the 500-home run threshold; you must wonder if Stanton will be healthy enough to make it there. Hopefully this setback is a “see you soon” and not a goodbye because with a healthy Stanton, the record will be broken and the Yankees are one step closer to capturing their first championship since 2009.
Judging what we saw from MLBbro Giancarlo Stanton as recently as the 2024 playoffs, that would be hard for anybody to deny.
