Aaron Judge was the heart, soul, and MVP of the New York Yankees last season, but it’s going to take more than The Captain to get the team to the Canyon of Heroes in November.
On Monday, after watching the Bronx Bombers take two of three from the Giants over opening weekend, Tiki & Tierney debated who needs to be the non-Judge MVP for the team this year – and turns out, it was the guy who started next to him in the outfield on Opening Day.
“I'm starting to believe it needs to be Giancarlo Stanton, and here’s why,” Tiki said. “Obviously, he smashes the ball out of the ballpark, he’s got that crazy swing where somehow he makes contact and it goes over the fence. But if he can play almost every day – 100 games, 120 games in right field, it gives them so much more versatility and it keeps him more engaged and gives this Yankees team much more than ‘we rely on Aaron Judge for our offense.’”
Stanton had two homers in the opening series, including one tape measure blast Sunday over the batter's eye that left even his teammates’ jaws on the floor, and the slugger being more engaged and on fire gives the Yankees, pardon Tiki’s pun, another bomber.
“I think if Stanton is as engaged as a fielder and a hitter as he was over the weekend, this Yankee team has a real shot, even despite some of the question marks in their starting rotation and bullpen,” Tiki said. “To me, Judge is going to be Judge, let’s not worry there, but Stanton needs to be that other MVP for this team.”
Especially now, with Harrison Bader on the IL and Aaron Hicks in limbo, the Yankees could really use Stanton in the outfield more often than not – and if they can keep him healthy enough to do that, the Yankees could be something special.
“After the early returns of the Giants series this weekend, he's on pace to do that,” Tiki said. “We talked about it all offseason, right, about what Stanton’s role would be? Well, don’t just sit him on the bench and get up the bat three or four times a game – let him be a baseball player, and if he can be that, this Yankees team can get anywhere.”
Follow WFAN's midday team on Twitter: @TikiandTierney, @TikiBarber, @BrandonTierney, and @TheHoffWFAN
Listen live to WFAN on the Audacy App or Online Stream
Follow WFAN on Social Media:
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
