Giancarlo Stanton’s mind has consistently said one thing, his body another.
asserted
body → say → thing
Whether the two will finally match up again to allow him to be any kind of contributor for the Yankees in 2027, though, remains very much in question, setting up a $15 million decision.
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Try it freeAfter three separate calf strains sidelined him for five-plus months and relegated him to a pair of pinch-hit at-bats in October, the soon-to-be 37-year-old DH entered the offseason healthy.
asserted
DH → match → offseason
That is the only bit of certainty the Yankees have involving Stanton, whose body continues to betray him late in his potential Hall of Fame career.
asserted
body → have → career
“It destroyed him that he wasn’t available to us to try to help us and impact us in a positive way for most of the run this year,” general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this week.
asserted
Cashman → destroy → run
“He continued to fight through it, as someone who is wired right should.
asserted
who → continue → it
He is wired right.
asserted
He → wire → ?
It’s just keeping him on the field so he can help us in that win column — it was a huge problem for us especially in 2026.”
asserted
it → keep → 2026
Regardless of what happens, the Yankees owe Stanton $15 million in 2027 (with the Marlins paying the other $10 million of his $25 million salary), which is why it makes little sense to cut him now.
asserted
it → happen → him
They have sufficient room on their 40-man roster to get to work this offseason without having to worry about a crunch just yet.
asserted
They → have → crunch
So whenever spring training actually begins, depending on the looming lockout, Stanton figures to at least have a chance to report to camp and show the Yankees what he has left.
asserted
he → begin → what
But once that happens, then the clock might start ticking louder.
uncertain
clock → happen → ?
The way the Yankees are currently constructed, assuming health, there may not be a whole lot of DH at-bats up for grabs even if Stanton is physically able.
uncertain
Stanton → construct → grabs
In his absence this season, Ben Rice essentially became a full-time DH, especially after the Yankees acquired Luis García Jr. at the trade deadline.
asserted
Yankees → become → deadline
García has another year left on his contract, and while the Yankees have teased possibly reintroducing some second base to him, that would likely only be a part-time solution instead of any kind of permanent move.
uncertain
that → have → move
Even if García does play second occasionally and Rice can improve his defense at first base, Aaron Judge may need to start getting more DH days, meaning another potential roadblock for Stanton at-bats.
uncertain
Judge → play → bats
Of course, all of that banks on him being healthy in the first place, which has proven difficult.
asserted
which → bank → place
His calves limited him to 96 plate appearances in 24 games this year.
asserted
calves → limit → games
Last season, his elbows (a problem that isn’t going away) limited him to 281 plate appearances in 77 games.
asserted
that → go → games
“Obviously we know what he’s capable of when he is healthy,” Cashman said.
asserted
Cashman → know → what
“We look forward to seeing if we can deploy a healthy version of him next year.
asserted
we → look → him
But obviously that DH spot is also available or up for grabs as well, for other people that could benefit from it at the same time.
uncertain
that → benefit → time
We’ll have those conversations.
asserted
We → have → conversations
But I can tell you this … G’s a very accountable, responsible, wired correctly professional athlete.”
asserted
G → tell → this
He continued that this season despite being hurt for most of it, but the Yankees missed the threat of his right-handed bat in the middle of the order — still a presence, as his half a season in 2025 (he hit .273 with a .944 OPS and 24 home runs) reminded.
asserted
he → continue → OPS
“I know it was a very tough year for Giancarlo, from the soft-tissue stuff and lower-body stuff, and that pains him because … Big G is wired right and he cares immensely and does all he can to take care of his body as best he can,” manager Aaron Boone said.
asserted
Boone → know → body
“So we’ll see.
asserted
we → see → ?
We’ll see as the winter unfolds, we’ll see what the roster looks like when we get to Tampa and we go back at it.
asserted
we → see → it
But it’s impossible to know exactly what that looks like right now.”
asserted
that → ’ → what
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