New York Yankees: Can Giancarlo Stanton be a postseason hero?
New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton has been on the IL for most of the season, but can he get healthy enough to add to a potent Yankees lineup in the postseason?
Giancarlo Stanton, the big New York Yankees acquisition from the Miami Marlins last year, has spent the majority of the year on the Injured List. He has only played in nine total games all season, but there is a chance he can return for the playoffs.
Both the Yankees and Stanton have made it clear they are targeting September for his return to baseball and are hopeful to get him some regular-season action before the playoffs begin. This begs the question of should the Yankees add him to the lineup?
The Yankees are tied for the best record in all of baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 81-42. Should they really risk the chemistry this team has built to plug a guy back in who has missed pretty much the whole season?
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The answer to that question is yes! Why wouldn’t you want arguably one of the better power hitters in the game in your lineup come crunch time? This would make an already potent lineup that much more intimidating.
Now will this move take away some at-bats from some other guys? Yes, it will, especially Gio Urshela and Gleyber Torres, who have been rotating between DH and third base. Gary Sanchez has also seen some time at DH. The Yankees should start using him as their DH get him some at-bats as soon as possible.
If that means they have to rotate Torres and Urshela so be it. Neither one of those guys is as proven as Stanton. I mean he has a career slash line of .268/.358/.547. He averages 43 home runs and 109 RBI’s per season and the Yankees can always use a veteran bat in their lineup with all of their young guys.
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So in short as long as he is healthy, Stanton should have every opportunity in the world to be that postseason hero the Yankees need in trying to win their first World Series since 2009.