Giancarlo Stanton, entering Friday’s home opener with just three hits and 11 strikeouts in 21 plate appearances, had another rough day at the plate, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as the Yanks were shut out in their first home game of the season for the first time since 1967.
Aaron Boone, asked about Stanton’s struggles after the 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays, reaffirmed that he is not concerned with the slugger’s slump, and believes it is only a matter of time before Stanton breaks out.
“That’s G, man,” Boone said. “He can be streaky like that, and once he gets it going, hop on.
“I don’t see it that far off. One of the good chances we had to score there was the first and second situation where he has the I think around eight-pitch at-bat against Kikuchi. I thought he was all over a breaking ball early in that count that he just missed, and Kikuchi out-executed him at the end there.”
Stanton whiffed on a breaking ball over the middle of the plate and at the knees on a 3-2 pitch in the at-bat Boone noted, which was his 13th strikeout in 22 at-bats to start the season. In the at-bat prior, he chased a fastball up and way for strike three. The two punchouts came against Kikuchi, a lefty, which was extra alarming given Stanton’s history of mashing southpaws, even last season, when he was otherwise dreadful at the plate when healthy. Coming off what was easily the worst season of his career, concern about Stanton’s future and role with the Yankees is quickly rising among the fanbase, but not with the manager.
“He’s in the at-bats,” Boone said. “Not overly chasing. You gotta ride with it a little bit and have him catch fire. He looks healthy, he looks strong, he’s firing well. Just not getting any results yet.”