In the absence of the powerhouse Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees urgently need their high-profile and high-cost players to step up. Regrettably, the team has been experiencing a fragile offense and an apparent lack of confidence, leading to disheartening outcomes.
Having been swept by the struggling Boston Red Sox over the recent weekend, the Yankees urgently need a spark to reignite their offense. During such critical times, players like Giancarlo Stanton are expected to come to the fore and deliver. Unfortunately, Stanton’s performance has hit a rough patch.
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Analyzing Stanton’s Performance
At 33, Stanton has increasingly been a defensive nonfactor, currently batting at .204 with a .267 OBP, six home runs, 13 RBIs, and a 91 wRC+. This season marks the first time in Stanton’s career that his wRC+ has fallen below 100, indicating that his performance is 9% below the average player.
Stanton isn’t striking out excessively compared to his career averages. Instead, the issue lies with the poor contact he’s making and a failure to leverage his renowned power.
“I just need to find my rhythm, pick the ball up a little sooner,” Stanton said between games. “The reps help, but at this time, I don’t have time to just take reps to get them under my belt. I need to [make] an impact when I’m in there, so I just need to figure it out.”
Digging Deeper into Giancarlo Stanton’s Stats
The stats provide a stark picture: Stanton is sitting at a 53.7% hard-hit rate, a 17.9% barrel rate, and a 94.6 average exit velocity. His slugging metrics seem to be hanging in there, but the frequency of his quality contact is starting to wane.
Despite the somber statistics, Manager Aaron Boone remains optimistic about a turnaround.
“They’re gonna hit. Big G is gonna hit. They’re gonna get it rolling.,” Aaron Boone said. “We just gotta grind our way through it right now while we’re in a little bit of a struggle.”
Is it Stanton’s Worst Season with the Yankees?
At the current trajectory, Stanton is on course to experience his worst professional season, especially after recording a .211 batting average and a .297 OBP last season.
Injuries have routinely disrupted Stanton’s rhythm over recent years, but that’s the reality of Stanton’s career at this juncture. Nonetheless, it’s crucial for both Stanton and the team that he rediscovers his form soon.