Giancarlo Stanton’s manager Joel Wolfe had a serious clapback for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and his recent comments suggesting that Stanton is destined to get injured again.
As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweeted, Wolfe put the Yankees on blast, proverbially alerting free agents of needing to be iron men in order to don the pinstripes, saying:
The Extensive Time That Stanton Has Missed with the Yankees is Undeniable
Stanton was the Yankees’ major acquisition back in the 2018 offseason. His 158 games played that year are the most he’s enjoyed while playing for the Bronx Bombers. His injury history has been lengthy in four of the past five seasons.
A strained right bicep and PCL cut his 2019 campaign down to only 18 games. He only saw five more appearances in 2020 due to a strained left hamstring. He was able to play 139 games in 2021, but succumbed to the injury bug once more in 2021 with a strained quad and in 2022 with tendinitis in his Achilles. Most recently, he missed 61 games in 2023 as a result of a strained left hamstring.
Stanton himself has been displeased with the frequency with which he racks up ailments, saying this back in April, per Ronald Blum of the Associated Press:
“It’s unacceptable this often. The team relies on me and I can’t have this continue to happen and put us in a tough spot … it’s my duty and responsibility to be out there,” Stanton exclaimed.
Did Cashman Cross The Line With His Negative Prediction?
While health has been a major concern for Stanton, Cashman was responsible for bringing him to the Bronx. Cashman openly expressing a lack of confidence in the former MVP being able to conquer such injury woes has a pretext of truth, though hints at possible displeasure in the investment he made five years ago.
Wolfe had the right to come against Cashman’s remarks. The future is uncertain with Stanton gearing up for a bounce back in 2024. A boost of confidence would have been more media-friendly than an open critique.
Nevertheless, Wolfe will have to ensure that Stanton’s conditioning and treatment in the offseason is maximized as much as possible in order for the 34-year-old to give the Yankees enough substance at DH and sufficient time in right field.
