The New York Yankees made their first important transfer of the offseason Monday and named James Rowson their new hitting trainer. Rowson had up to now labored in New York’s farm device and is alleged to be shut with Aaron Judge. The Yankees nonetheless should rent a bench trainer to substitute Carlos Mendoza, who was once formally named New York Mets supervisor on Monday.
Hiring a brand new hitting trainer without a doubt is not the massive transfer Yankees enthusiasts crave, even though it was once a vital step this offseason. Now the Yankees should enhance the roster and provides Rowson extra to paintings with. That contains retaining 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 mentioned about Stanton on the GM Meetings in Scottsdale remaining week (per the New York Daily News):
“We’ve gotta get Stanton up and running again,” Cashman mentioned 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 mentioned. “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 without a doubt 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 mentioned he is not positive Stanton needs to end his occupation in pinstripes.
Needless to say, Cashman’s remarks weren’t neatly gained by means of Stanton’s nook. Per Ken Rosenthal, Stanton’s agent Joel Wolfe spoke back thus:
“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 caution that Cashman’s public feedback about Stanton may just hurt the Yankees’ popularity with avid gamers they will have hobby in signing. For one, Wolfe additionally represents NPB ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is anticipated to be posted this offseason and who the Yankees are reportedly very prime on.
As for Stanton, he has performed simplest 391 of 708 imaginable 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 was once up 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 accidents 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 accidents have turn 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 at this time 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.