The New York Yankees are being punished by Giancarlo Santon

New York Yankees, Giancarlo Stanton
May 21, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

In two seasons with the New York Yankees, slugger Giancarlo Stanton has played in just 176 games, about one season’s worth. He has a combined .277 batting average over 676 at-bats, which from the first glance, seems like quality numbers, but he’s being paid to be much more influential.

Before joining the Yankees, Stanton had missed more than half a season once in his entire 10-year career. His four All-Star appearances are a thing of the past, and cheaper options are now out-performing him in most categories. His 38 home runs last season made an impact, but that’s precisely why the Bombers traded for him in the first place.

Santon is the type of player that can turn a game on its head at any moment, and the analytical approach the Yankees have taken to the game has given players like Giancarlo more appeal. However, he’s now punishing the Bombers with inexplainable injuries.

A slew of ailments held Stanton to just 18 games last season, and numerous replacements played exceptionally well in his absence, which could indicate that overpaying for monster sluggers might not be the best recipe for success. Considering Brett Gardner hit .251 with 28 homers, Stanton’s influence was overlooked at times.

Even career-average player, Gio Urshela, hit .314 with 21 homers last year, showing immense value on the hot corner.

Here’s an interesting question:

If the New York Yankees had a buyer for Giancarlo Stanton, would you sell?

I would sell. Even if he returns to form, the Yanks are still on the hook for a steadily increasing salary hit, starting at $26 million next season. Replacing his home run totals would be difficult, but the team broke the single-season record for long balls without him this year, proving they have plenty of hitting-power to go around.

Realistically, they could easily survive without the services Stanton provides, and it would open up the checkbook to replace him with a quality outfielder. Getting rid of Stanton’s behemoth contract is nearly impossible, so probability wise, he will be a Yankee for a very long time (factor in his full no-trade clause).

Hopefully, he can be more impactful in the future.