How New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton Can Cut Back On The Strikeouts

When star slugger Giancarlo Stanton steps up to the plate for the New York Yankees, your first thought is likely along the lines of, “please hit a home run!”

With Stanton, it’s likely either a homer or strikeout. The story can be told from his 38 long balls and 211 strikeouts in 2018. Adapting to Yankee stadium can be troublesome for players, but it seems as if pitchers are quickly understanding that his weak spot is on the outside of the plate.

Keeping the ball away from Stanton is the key to getting a strikeout, as he often chases balls in the dirt or breaking balls scraping the outside corner of strike-zone. However, Stanton did record the second most hits in his career last season — 164.

A breakdown of Giancarlo Stanton’s hits:

Stanton recorded 91 singles, 34 doubles, 1 triple, and 38 homers. Clearly, he hit nearly triple the amount of singles than the rest, which would attest to his making contact and not swinging for the fences. The big-bat has been known as an avid strikeout victim, but it seems as if he’s trying to make more contact, the issue is that he chases balls out of the strike-zone in an attempt to get his bat on the ball.

What does Stanton need to do to improve his game with the New York Yankees?

Discipline… Stanton needs to work on his plate discipline and refrain from swinging at bad pitches. Now, it’s easier said than done when you have an 85-mile-per-hour breaking ball hurling toward your body, but his primary weakness will remain as long as he continues to lack self-control.

It’s fair to give him the benefit of the doubt, as Yankee stadium is a brutal place to play. The atmosphere the fans create can be very hostile, espeically if you’re in a slump. They will boo you at every chance they get. Stanton received a ton of bad media coverage and fan hostility last season, but he had his fair share of “wow” moments.

Moving forward, I would expect Stanton to continue aiming for the fences, but the Yankees must work on breaking some bad habits he’s developed over the years, starting with his control on pitches either high in the strike zone or outside and away.