Same story, different year. The New York Yankees lost star slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a hamstring injury on Saturday evening. After sliding into second base, he came up a bit gimpy. He tried to shake off, which seem to be a slight hamstring injury, but manager Aaron Boone stated after the game, he would likely be headed to the injured list.
“[I’m] hurting for him, period,†Boone said. “I know what he’s done to be here. I know obviously his play speaks for itself. So hopefully it’s something that doesn’t end up keeping him down too long.â€
Stanton has been unable to remain healthy for the Yankees in recent years, having injured his calf earlier this spring. The calf injury kept him out for weeks, and the postponement of Opening Day ultimately helped him return to health and prepare. Last season, he played in only 18 games with the Bombers, recording three home runs and 13 RBIs. Stanton is three-years removed from his previous MVP caliber season, and four years removed from being the best player in the league.
Who should the New York Yankees utilize to replace Stanton?
Ultimately, the Yankees have plenty of offense of weapons I can supplement standing with. Since he was serving as a DH, the first choice options would be Mike Ford, Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman. Of course, one of those players will have to be in left field, but Boone has his choice of defensive quality and who he believes will fill the DH spot adequately. Personally, I would like to see Ford fill in during Stanton’s absence, as he brings a power hitter mentality to the lineup.
Replacing him with a player like Ford would ensure that the Yankees don’t miss out on Stanton‘s power at the plate. Currently, Ford is hitting .200 with a .400 slugging percentage. He has one home run and three hits over 15 at-bats. Getting him more action at the plate will only help his consistency and efficiency offensively. However, the Yankees will undoubtedly miss Stanton. In game one of a doubleheader on Saturday, Stanton blasted a solo homer.
It was his third home run of the year and represented a spark for the Yankees’ offense. The Bombers will take on the Tampa Bay rays at 1 PM on Sunday afternoon, but they will be missing one key player in their batting order. Hopefully, the injury is nothing too serious, and they can find a way to supplement his production in the meantime.