Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton rekindles his vintage prowess, catching up fire

New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton hits a home run against the Royals on June 12, 2024, in Kansas City.
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New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has been quietly heating up, smashing his second towering home run in as many nights during Wednesday’s 11-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. While much of the spotlight has been on Aaron Judge’s homer spree nearing his 2022 pace, Giancarlo Stanton’s recent performance has shown that his bat still packs a powerful punch.

After a rough 0-for-14 slump in the series against the Dodgers, Giancarlo Stanton rebounded by hitting his second consecutive home run. On Wednesday, he launched a 449-foot blast over the left-center fence, finishing the game 2-for-5 and bringing his season total to 17 home runs. Though the home run wasn’t in a high-leverage situation, it was a breathtaking shot that caught the attention of both the broadcast team and fans. Statcast recorded the home run at 449 feet with an exit velocity of 111.6 mph.

Giancarlo Stanton’s consecutive homer games

The Yankees showcased their power by hitting three home runs (Stanton, Judge, and Austin Wells) on Tuesday and repeated the feat on Wednesday with homers from Trevino, Stanton, and a three-run shot from Gleyber Torres in the seventh.

In Tuesday’s 10-1 win over the Royals, Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run, and an RBI. He produced an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the first inning and added a 446-foot solo shot in the seventh. His performance marked a positive turnaround after his struggles in the weekend series against the Dodgers, where he struck out seven times. Despite a .229 batting average this season, Giancarlo Stanton is tied for ninth in the league with 17 homers and has tallied 38 RBIs and 29 runs through 245 plate appearances.

Yankees’ potent top of the lineup, featuring Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge, has paved the way for Giancarlo Stanton to regain his formidable form. He, now with 17 home runs—including three in his last eight games—followed up Tuesday’s 446-foot blast with a Statcast-projected 449-foot shot on Wednesday.

New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton hits a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Giancarlo Stanton’s resurgence comes on the heels of a challenging, injury-marred season where he hit a mere .191 with a .695 OPS, often struggling both at bat and in the field. With emerging talents like Jasson Dominguez on the horizon, the slugger needed to prove his enduring value, and he has done just that. His 17 home runs in 61 games tied him for the sixth-most in baseball by Wednesday’s end. Despite a .288 on-base percentage that leaves room for improvement, his power has been a significant asset.

Reflecting on his season, Giancarlo Stanton remarked, “It’s been good,” emphasizing his focus on making contact with runners in scoring position while acknowledging the need for continuous improvement.

Last year was even tougher for Giancarlo Stanton, who managed only 13 games before a hamstring strain sidelined him for six weeks. His season never gained momentum, raising concerns about the cumulative impact of injuries throughout his Yankees tenure and whether the 34-year-old could still deliver at a high level.

Determined to turn the page on his injury-plagued past, Giancarlo Stanton reported to spring training with a leaner physique, aiming to boost his athleticism and health. His efforts appear to be paying off, contributing significantly to the Yankees’ success this season.

The slugger, a key force in the Yankees‘ lineup this season, hasn’t fully recaptured his peak form, with his OPS standing at .779. Nonetheless, his power remains formidable. Giancarlo Stanton showcased his slugging prowess with a 446-foot blast to center on Tuesday and followed it up with a 449-foot home run to left in the fifth inning off Daniel Lynch IV on Wednesday.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone commended Giancarlo Stanton’s impactful presence in the lineup, highlighting his timely hits, especially amid the stellar performances of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

“He’s been a real threat and a real presence in the middle of our lineup,” the Yankees manager told. “Especially around what Juan [Soto] and Aaron [Judge] are doing, to kind of have another thumper there that you still got to account for, be aware of after you go through that. He’s been really good. He’s gotten a lot of big hits for us.”

But Giancarlo Stanton credited his success to improved communication among teammates after each at-bat. He stressed the importance of exchanging insights, particularly when pitchers deviate from their expected strategies. The slugger described this dynamic as an evolving process, likening it to solving an algorithm.

“It’s always ideal, but I think it’s really emphasized this year, just any little bit of information that we may not have covered or looks different — of if [the pitcher] has made an adjustment from the way he’s attacking us compared to what we prepared for,” he said. “It’s all an evolving work in progress to figure out the algorithm.”

This collaborative approach has paid dividends, with Giancarlo Stanton’s ability to deepen the lineup playing a crucial role in the Yankees’ winning formula this season, driven largely by strong starting pitching.

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton celebrate after former's home run against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Kansas City.
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Judge discloses Giancarlo Stanton’s pre-game “joke” that came true

The New York Yankees cruised to a dominant 10-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium, securing their third consecutive victory. The Yankees’ high-powered offense, spearheaded by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, was instrumental in the rout.

The Yankees jumped ahead in the first inning with an RBI single from their captain. Judge later continued his home run streak, belting a two-run shot in the seventh inning to bring his season total to 25.

Giancarlo Stanton added to the onslaught with a 446-foot solo home run to the waterfall in center field, also in the seventh inning. Postgame, Judge shared a light-hearted moment from his pre-game conversation with Giancarlo Stanton, who jokes about the spot that he had never hit a home run.

“He was joking with us pregame saying this is the one spot he hasn’t gone dead center at…” he said. “He kind of called his shot I guess.”

Giancarlo Stanton’s home run, his 16th of the season, is the third-highest on the team, following Juan Soto’s 17 and Judge’s league-leading 25.

If the slugger continues to join Aaron Judge’s MVP-caliber hitting streak and Juan Soto’s energetic firepower, the Yankees can trounce any opponent.

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