With the New York Yankees visiting the Miami Marlins next weekend in Florida, they don’t want to lose Giancarlo Stanton, the team’s regular designated hitter, and his offensive contributions. That’s why the slugger, who has been preparing to play the field for a few weeks now, will be deployed in left field sometime this weekend in the Boston Red Sox series.
Stanton was spotted taking the field, in front of the Green Monster, on Thursday afternoon during batting practice. When he does it in a game this weekend, it will be his first time since Game 1 of the American League Championship Series of 2019 against the Houston Astros.
According to Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone, there is a good chance Stanton starts in left field during Saturday’s game.
“It’s something we’ve talked about for the last few weeks, maybe picking a day here,†Boone said to MLB.com. “It’s not for sure yet, but there’s a good chance he could be out there.â€
The Yankees have taken it slow with Stanton, but it’s time
The Yankees haven’t played Stanton in the outfield since 2019 because of the perceived risk of injury, especially leg injuries. And truth be told, he has suffered his fair share of knee, quad, hamstring, and calf ailments over the last couple of years.
Boone said that doing it for the first time in months in the Green Monster makes sense because the area to cover is smaller.
If Saturday’s trial is successful, the Yankees would like him to play some right field innings in Yankee Stadium every once in a while.
“When we go play another National League series in a National League park, [we can] have that available to us,†Boone said. “If that goes well, especially when we get Aaron [Judge] back, maybe I can pick some spots at home in right field where I can give Judge a DH day. So, hopefully, this is something we can do, at least sparingly, to have in play.â€
Do you think the Yankees should play Staton in the outfield more often?