C-Mac: Stanton news exacerbates Yankees' need to go get another bat at third base
Giancarlo Stanton is dealing with a ‘very high level’ of pain in both elbows and hasn’t swung a bat in almost a month, something he revealed Monday morning at Yankees camp.
Prior to that, all we knew from manager Aaron Boone was that Stanton had some kind of elbow issue and Opening Day was in doubt…and that was enough for Chris McMonigle to implore the Yankees, as position players get set to report in full, to go get another bat, preferably at third base.
“Watching Juan Soto and recognizing the huge hole that is left in this lineup, the reason I've been screaming about third base and adding another bat is precisely this,” C-Mac said. “Stanton’s going to miss a month, no matter when it is, we know that – he hasn’t played more than 115 games since 2021. He's not going to play more than that this year, because that’s who he is – no matter what kind of shape Giancarlo finds himself in, he's not gonna be able to run very fast, and he's gonna play less than 120 games. Those are locks, those are guarantees, and it’s something the Yankees have to deal with.”
Chris harkened back to Brian Cashman’s statement that injuries are part of Stanton’s game, which was seen as anywhere from unnecessary to mean at the time, but here we are before the Grapefruit League is even underway with Stanton on track to miss time, and a hole in the lineup that was never filled to begin with.
“We know Stanton’s impact over the regular season is minimized, and that's why you have to have as many good hitters in this lineup as you can. You cannot lose Juan Soto and take this offense, as much as this team has pivoted to pitching and defense, and just count on them,” Chris said. “There’s some improvement in the entire lineup over last year, but you cannot lose Juan Soto and fundamentally understand and know that Giancarlo isn't going to be a constant for you, and walk into the season with third base being DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera. It can’t happen. They need to fill that hole. They can’t fill Soto’s hole, and you know the Stanton hole is coming, and not put as many great hitters as you can in this lineup to account for that.”
Chris wants Nolan Arenado, as we know, but there are a lot of options out there to bring in what he thinks is an upgrade at third – including a second baseman that can shift Jazz Chisholm back to third – but don’t kill Stanton for this one…perhaps, instead, look at others on the roster?
“You tell us all that matters is what gets done in October – and yet Giancarlo Stanton is gonna get killed for an injury again when he's done nothing but hit bombs in the postseason,” Chris said. “But, the Yankees are in a holding pattern right now because their disgruntled sixth starter, who makes $18 million a year and has a vesting option for next year at 140 innings to make another $18 million in 2026, they are waiting until they move that contract before they bring in another hitter…and that is unacceptable.”
No matter what, though, to Chris, is boils down to one thing:
“The Yankees are the best team in the American League, and they have to go win a World Series with Judge and Cole in this window, and the time is now,” Chris said. “They are one piece away from being complete. You can’t lose Soto, and not have Stanton as a constant in the lineup, and still head into the season with third base as it presently sits. They have to make a move, and they can’t sit around waiting to move Marcus Stroman before adding another bat they need desperately. Go get it!”
