The Yankees are staring down another significant offensive issue at the designated hitter spot, with Giancarlo Stanton still unable to participate in baseball activities due to tennis elbow in both arms. To make matters more complicated, he recently traveled to New York for a personal issue, further clouding his status for Opening Day.
Replacing One of Baseball’s Most Prolific Sluggers
Stanton has been inconsistent over the past few seasons, but he remains a force when healthy. He showed up big in last year’s playoffs, and despite his struggles, he still ranked in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit rate, while leading the league in bat speed. Even at 35, he’s one of the most dangerous power hitters in baseball.
That’s what makes replacing him so difficult. Even when he’s not hitting for average, Stanton still managed a 116 wRC+ last season over 114 games. The Yankees don’t have another bat on the roster that can replicate that kind of power, especially not in the short term.
Limited Internal Options
The Yankees have a few potential replacements, but none are ideal. Ben Rice, Trent Grisham, and Everson Pereira are the most logical options, though each comes with serious questions.
Pereira is intriguing because of his ability to hit the ball hard. He played 40 games in Triple-A last season, slashing .265/.346/.512 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs. His problem? Strikeouts. He swings and misses at an alarming rate, much like Stanton, but without the proven major league success.
Rice is another possibility, though he’s still adjusting to big-league pitching. He appeared in 50 games last season, hitting .171/.264/.349 with seven homers and 23 RBIs. His left-handed swing is perfect for Yankee Stadium, and his minor league track record suggests he could become a solid offensive contributor.
The Yankees are hoping spring training will provide more clarity on his development, but he hasn’t gotten off to a great start.
A Flawed Offense With Some Cover
Between third base and designated hitter, the Yankees have more holes than they’d like in their lineup. They have enough firepower elsewhere to stay afloat, but these concerns could become more pressing if Stanton’s timeline drags out longer than expected.
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For now, they’ll have to rely on their pitching to keep games low-scoring while they patch together solutions at DH and third base.