With spring training right around the corner, the New York Yankees are prepared to enter the next stages of offseason baseball, but for most players, it’s just a continuation of their routine. Wake up, work out, practice, prepare.
It’s no different for slugger Giancarlo Stanton who has worked tirelessly to return from injury bigger and better in 2020. Lately, he’s taken his workouts to an even more intense level, using a sledgehammer to batter a tire to build core muscle strength. This is part of his routine to ensure baseballs leave the ballpark rather quickly.
Check out this latest video of Stanton being ripped:
.@Giancarlo818 working on sledgehammer flips this offseason
(via IG: kirkmyersfitness) pic.twitter.com/VhqKpPmbJu— R2C2 (@R2C2) January 23, 2020
While Stanton only appeared in 18 games last season, totaling three homers over 59 at-bats, he looks healthy and ready to go for spring training.
Can we expect Stanton to return to form for the New York Yankees?
Overall, losing Stanton for the post-season was significant, as it hurt the Yankees’ run-production and slugger presence. His lack of availability during the regular season didn’t seem to be much of a burden considering the team reached 103-wins. However, Giancarlo’s influence extends far beyond the regular season, his efficiency in the home run department is essential to the Yankees, as they’ve adopted a style that relies heavily on the long-ball.
Not having arguably their best home run hitter in the lineup proved to be a factor that led to their exit in the ALCS against the Houston Astros. Not to mention the Astros cheated their way to the World Series (again), but who knows if Stanton’s influence would have improved the Bomber’s chances.
Gaining him back healthy will give the team a huge boost, and mitigating any concern over past ailments will be the priority. Thankfully, the hiring of new strength and conditioning coach, Eric Cressey, should play a big part in Stanton’s return to form.