Yankees' Stanton Aware of Continued Effort Needed

By Elliot Chen June 26, 2023

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone commends Giancarlo Stanton's patience in Sunday's game, hoping to build momentum and improve the team's faltering offense.

During Sunday's game, Giancarlo Stanton demonstrated patience in his eighth-inning at-bat, which caught the attention of New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Despite Stanton's recent struggles, his RBI single offered a crucial insurance run, contributing to the Yankees' 5-3 triumph against the first-place Rangers. Boone expressed optimism, hoping this performance might help improve the team's overall offense.

Entering the game, Stanton had secured merely six hits and two RBIs in his previous 55 at-bats. Additionally, his difficulties exacerbated since his return from a hamstring injury on June 2, with a slash line of .121/.215/.241 in 17 games. Nevertheless, Stanton remains committed to enhancing his performance and is not content with this small victory.

The Yankees have been grappling with offensive challenges as key players, including Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu, and Josh Donaldson, underperformed. The team's overall statistics since June 4 portray a staggering offense, with a .197 batting average and 66 wRC+. Despite this, Stanton asserts that the absence of key players should not affect his contributions and remains focused on working hard.

Dillon Lawson, the Yankees hitting coach, has collaborated with several players to make necessary adjustments, such as refining LeMahieu's load at the plate and pinpointing issues with Stanton's timing. However, Stanton refrained from disclosing any particular strategies, simply stating, "Be better. That's what I'm working on." When questioned about potential reasons for his struggles, the former MVP kept his response brief, refusing to make excuses.

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