Beyond the complications facing the New York Yankees in several departments, they still boast one of the best right-handed hitters in baseball: Aaron Judge. Outside of him, however, the lineup is noticeably short on that type of profile. Amed Rosario has arrived to help with balance, but once again, a heavy responsibility will fall on Giancarlo Stanton.
It was during the MLB Winter Meetings that manager Aaron Boone sounded less than optimistic about the upcoming season for Stanton – raising concerns about the team’s lineup balance in 2026.
“He went into the winter in a pretty good spot. A little bit beat up like everyone, but not rehabbing something, so to speak, which is good,” Boone said. “Obviously, he’s been through a lot physically with his body and the different things that he’s had to deal with.
“I think that experience has served him well as far as just knowing what to do and how to do it. Hopefully, that means him being out there for the bulk of the season and not having stints where he’s down, but we’ll see.”
Injuries Continue to Haunt Giancarlo Stanton
At 36 years old, Giancarlo Stanton posted a .273/.350/.594 slash line with a .944 OPS and, despite a late debut in June, still managed to hit 24 home runs and drive in 66 RBIs. In 2024, he was named ALCS MVP before elbow issues surfaced during the offseason – problems that ultimately lingered into the summer of 2025.
Throughout his long MLB career, which began with the Miami Marlins in 2010, Stanton has dealt with injuries at multiple stages. During his time in Miami, he endured two seasons that were shortened – or essentially lost – due to physical setbacks. Even so, he established himself as the franchise’s all-time home run leader. In his final year with the Marlins, he was named National League MVP and was traded to the New York Yankees shortly thereafter.
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