The New York Yankees made a bold move to acquire Giancarlo Stanton in 2017 to be a key part of their roster.
Stanton was brought in to be a slugger and help the Yankees get over the hump. Yet, New York has yet to win a World Series with the team, although the Yankees reached the World Series in 2024 but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
So, as Stanton’s career begins to wind down, he admits that if he doesn’t help the Yankees win a World Series, it would be a failure.
“You’ve got to get over the hump,” Stanton said. “Obviously, the goal is the World Series. The goal is a championship, but you’ve got to do what’s in between – not to get there, but to complete it. … The story is still being written. But the point of being a Yankee is being a champion. There’s always going to be a stain there without that.”
Stanton has two years left on his 13-year, $325 million deal, plus a club option for 2028. So, if Stanton is going to help the Yankees win a World Series, he will need to do it ASAP, but he has faith in the team.
The star slugger hit .273 with 24 home runs and 66 RBIs last season.
Stanton Opens Up on Yankees Offseason
With Stanton looking to win a World Series with New York, he knows the time is now.
However, the Yankees had a quiet offseason, which Stanton admitted was interesting as he kept checking in to see if the team would do anything.
“I was definitely checking to see if anything was going on,” Stanton said. “Interested. Frustrating? I wouldn’t say frustrating, you have all until through spring to make moves so just interested, curious.”
Fellow Yankees slugger, Aaron Judge, meanwhile, echoed Stanton’s comments and thought the team would be more aggressive.
“Early on, it was pretty tough to watch,” Judge said. “I’m like, ‘Man, we’re the New York Yankees. Let’s go out there and get the right people, the right pieces to go out there and finish this thing off.’
“We were kind of sitting there for a while making smaller moves. It was tough there in the beginning. Once we solidified getting Bellinger back, we’ve got Trent being our center fielder for another year, then we got a guy like Goldy back. … I think we’re in a good spot.”
The Yankees enter the 2026 MLB season with the second-best odds of winning the World Series at +1000.
Stanton Fully Healthy Entering 2026
As Stanton gets older, he knows how crucial it is that he takes care of his body.
The Yankees slugger used the offseason to get in shape, and manager Aaron Boone has noticed it.
“He had a good winter,” Boone said. “He’s always in good shape, but he looks really good to me, really lean. He’s jumping into all the drills, ready to go right now. I feel like we’re in a good spot right now.”
Stanton said he feels good and is confident he can have a good season in 2026.
“It’s not going anywhere,” Stanton said. “It’s always going to be maintenance. But it didn’t hinder me from any work, and that’s the most important thing.”
Stanton is a five-time All-Star and one-time NL MVP.
Giancarlo Stanton Drops Bold Comment on Yankees’ Tenure