The New York Yankees will be fine, and that’s the bottom line because Giancarlo Stanton said so.
Giancarlo Stanton is doing his part in the MLB’s Play Ball initiative
Stanton, 35, is enjoying his offseason in Puerto Rico, where he had the chance to explore his family history and speak with local youth. The righty slugger made his first stop in Ponce — the birthplace of his great-grandmother — before heading up to San Juan for a youth clinic on Sunday afternoon.
As part of MLB’s Play Ball initiative, 150 children gathered at Estadio Hiram Bithorn for a 90-minute circuit of on-field activities. There, the five-time All-Star assisted the children as they worked on baserunning, hitting off a tee, throwing, catching, and more. He also made time to hand out plenty of autographs.
Edwin Rodríguez, the assistant director of the MLB Development Program in Puerto Rico, described the magnitude of Stanton’s visit. He illustrated that having a figure of his prominence engage with the youth leaves a profound impact on not only their sports careers, but their lives:
“It’s really important that they see that he’s human and not just someone who’s only on television. When they hear Stanton speak — and he’s a very intelligent person — he’ll know the right things to say. He knows what they’re going through right now. I think that maybe even two or three words from Stanton will resonate with these kids for the rest of their lives.”
Stanton knew exactly what to say to a concerned fan
A recent clip posted by @yanksfangii on X shows Stanton speaking with a child at the Play Ball clinic, who asks the slugger if he was “sad that Soto is on the Mets.”
Big G stopped in his tracks to answer, and just as Rodríguez had alluded to, he knew exactly what to say and provided the child with three impactful words. What’s more, those very words have come to comfort the entire Yankee faithful:
“We’ll be alright.”
The Yankees still have hope after Soto’s departure
It’s going to be impossible to match Soto’s individual production at the plate, but the Yankees remain motivated to improve the roster on all fronts. New York spent the first half of December constructing one of the most imposing pitching staffs in the majors, where they signed two-time All-Star Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract and traded for two-time Reliever of the Year Devin Williams to command closing duties. Since 2022, Fried holds the lowest qualified ERA among starters while Williams commands the lowest mark among relievers.
On the offensive end, New York acquired former MVP Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for reliever Cody Poteet. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the 29-year-old will command center field and slide Aaron Judge back to right.
With Bellinger heading to the outfield, the Yankees will continue evaluating the market for suitable options to fill the void at first base. General manager Brian Cashman has repeatedly emphasized that all options are available, and the team has since been linked to Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Josh Naylor, and Nathaniel Lowe, among others.
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The Yankees still have plenty of talent after losing Soto
Looking internally, the Yankees still have plenty of weapons in their arsenal. Gold Glover Anthony Volpe, Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, and Rookie of the Year finalist Austin Wells will each continue along the path of development. At the same time, exciting top prospect Jasson Domínguez will gear up for his first full season in pinstripes.
The Yankee captain, Judge, is fresh off winning his second American League MVP. Gerrit Cole is just one year removed from taking home his first career Cy Young. Even Stanton is coming off the heels of a career-defining postseason performance, in which he hit seven home runs in 14 games and took home the ALCS MVP.
Not to mention Jazz Chisholm, who expertly adjusted to life at the hot corner and was instantly embraced as the “little brother” of the clubhouse. Or the “ferocious jungle cat” Luke Weaver, who revitalized his career as one of the most impactful relievers in the game.
Stanton’s unwavering confidence served as a calming reassurance to Yankee fans that even after losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rival, the Bronx Bombers won’t go down without a fight.
