Giancarlo Stanton has faced quite a lot of adversity since joining the New York Yankees in 2018. Between his big contract and frequent injuries, Yankee fans get on him a ton. Despite the haters on Stanton, general manager Brian Cashman still believes that Stanton can do what they signed him for and he’s still an elite ballplayer.
“I know what he’ll do if he stays healthy,” Cashman said. “When he’s healthy, he’s going to produce. He’s one of the game’s better players and that’s exciting. Like any player, let’s keep him healthy.”
The last season that Stanton was healthy and had a full year was in 2018 when he slashed .266/.343/.509 with 38 home runs and 100 runs batted in. The year prior to that, he had a career season blasting 59 home runs and knocking in 139 batters which led him to win the National League MVP award that season.
“He obviously hasn’t had a chance to declare himself in the New York Yankees world yet,” Cashman said. “All those things will come in time. People forget that in 2018 he led us in home runs and RBI and it wasn’t even a Stanton-like season for him, with injuries.”
Cashman believes that this is the season that Stanton will finally show the Yankee world what he’s there for. “I think he’s looking forward to re-establishing the legacy he’s been creating,” Cashman said. “Injuries have denied him that. Not that he needs more motivation — he’s a very motivated person — but I think he’s looking forward to letting everyone know who he is and what he’s really capable of.”