Giancarlo Stanton is back.
The New York Yankees’ designated hitter has not suited up this season due to tennis elbow in both arms, but is making his debut Monday night, according to Andy Martino of SNY.
What It Means for the Lineup
Stanton will assume his DH duties and should return to the heart of the order. Aaron Judge is putting up Babe Ruthian numbers, and adding an elite slugger like Stanton will make this lineup even more intimidating for opposing pitchers.
Stanton only played in 114 games last season, but still racked up 27 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .233 batting average, a .773 OPS, and a 114 OPS+. He is largely useless as a runner and fielder at this stage of his career, but his bat partially justifies his gargantuan price.
Health has plagued him throughout his New York Yankees tenure, and while he is a welcome addition, he needs to be monitored carefully. New York has serious World Series aspirations and will be hard-pressed to repeat as American League Champions without Stanton’s services.
He was a key contributor to the team’s run last October, batting .273 with a 1.048 OPS and seven home runs over 14 games.
He and Judge are a dangerous duo, but the offensive production is not solely on their shoulders. The Yankees have arguably their deepest and most well-rounded lineup of the Aaron Boone era, with every regular starter boasting an OPS above .700.
Stanton feels like another lock to join that club.
What It Means for Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, and Austin Wells
As good as the Stanton news is for the New York Yankees, it does not come without complications. For one, what does Boone do with Ben Rice?
Rice, a 26-year-old in his first full season with the Yankees, has impressed at the plate. His .227 batting average looks underwhelming, but a .771 OPS, a 113 OPS+, and 12 home runs with a 20:52 BB:K ratio all bode well for his development.
Rice also has excellent advanced metrics, and some more batter’s luck will skyrocket that lackluster average.
Enter Paul Goldschmidt, who looked like his best days were long gone after two mediocre seasons, to wrap up his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, his resurgence (.311 batting average, .826 OPS, 131 OPS+, 7 home runs) and stellar defense make him a necessity in Boone’s lineup.
Goldschmidt and Rice could platoon at the three with their significant splits against lefties and righties, respectively.
Then there is catcher Austin Wells. While Rice could receive more looks behind the plate, the Wells (.224 batting average, .753 OPS, 107 OPS+, 11 home runs) and J.C. Escarra (.230 batting average, .694 OPS, 95 OPS+) tandem has looked solid, and rotating a third catcher feels inefficient.
Maybe general manager Brian Cashman gets antsy at the trade deadline and looks to ship a package of Wells, Rice, or Escarra for starting pitching.
That day is approaching fast, but it still feels too early to reconfigure this roster. For now, New York should see how Stanton acclimates before pulling the trigger.
Ultimately, having too many quality players and not enough spots is a wonderful dilemma for Boone and the Yankees.
Yankees Get Good News on Giancarlo Stanton