The New York Yankees made their first important transfer of the offseason Monday and named James Rowson their new hitting trainer. Rowson had prior to now labored in New York’s farm gadget and is claimed to be shut with Aaron Judge. The Yankees nonetheless should rent a bench trainer to exchange Carlos Mendoza, who used to be formally named New York Mets supervisor on Monday.
Hiring a brand new hitting trainer indubitably is not the large transfer Yankees enthusiasts crave, regardless that it used to be a vital step this offseason. Now the Yankees should fortify the roster and provides Rowson extra to paintings with. That comprises preserving Giancarlo Stanton at the box, one thing GM Brian Cashman admitted is not all that most likely at this level in Stanton’s occupation.
Here’s what Cashman stated about Stanton on the GM Meetings in Scottsdale closing week (per the New York Daily News):
“We’ve gotta get Stanton up and running again,” Cashman stated in Arizona. “He’s injury-prone. We all have lived and known that, but he’s never not hit when he’s playing, and this year is the first time that that’s happened.”
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“We try to limit the time he’s down,” Cashman stated. “But I’m not gonna tell you he’s gonna play every game next year because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game. But I know that when he’s right and healthy – other than this past year – the guy’s a great hitter and has been for a long time.”
“He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game?” Ouch. While indubitably true, the ones are some beautiful harsh phrases from the GM a couple of core member of the staff. For what it is value, former Yankees (and Florida Marlins) teammate Cameron Maybin lately stated he isn’t positive Stanton needs to complete his occupation in pinstripes.
Needless to mention, Cashman’s remarks weren’t smartly won by way of Stanton’s nook. Per Ken Rosenthal, Stanton’s agent Joel Wolfe replied thus:Â
“I read the context of the entire interview. I think it’s a good reminder for all free agents considering signing in New York both foreign and domestic that to play for that team you’ve got to be made of Teflon, both mentally and physically because you can never let your guard down even in the offseason.”
Consider this a not-so-veiled warning that Cashman’s public feedback about Stanton may hurt the Yankees’ popularity with avid gamers they’ll have passion in signing. For one, Wolfe additionally represents NPB ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is predicted to be posted this offseason and who the Yankees are reportedly very prime on.
As for Stanton, he has performed simplest 391 of 708 conceivable common season video games since 2019, or 55%. He had the worst season of his occupation in 2023, slashing .191/.275/.420 with 24 house runs in 101 video games. That comes after what used to be prior to now the worst season of his occupation in 2022. Stanton, 34, hit .211/.297/.462 with 31 house runs in 110 video games a 12 months in the past.
The Yankees completed twenty fifth in runs and twenty fourth in OPS in 2023, and whilst Stanton’s injuries and underperformance contributed to that, Cashman didn’t construct ok intensity to fill in. A staff with a payroll drawing near $300 million gave over 900 plate appearances to Jake Bauers, Willie Calhoun, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Billy McKinney, who mixed for a .662 OPS.
It’s true Stanton’s injuries have change into reputedly inevitable and that he didn’t carry out in 2023. That better factor is Cashman’s roster building and now not having appropriate intensity avid gamers to step in. New York’s unmarried greatest factor presently is such a lot of in their most sensible younger place avid gamers have arise and now not carried out, which has contributed to their intensity woes.