The New York Yankees appear on the verge of a significant shift involving Giancarlo Stanton — one that could permanently remove the former MVP from the outfield.
Yankees expected to end Giancarlo Stanton’s outfield role amid return from injury
Although the team has not officially confirmed the move, manager Aaron Boone recently told reporters that Giancarlo Stanton will not require any defensive reps before returning from his latest injury, signaling that the player is being viewed exclusively as a designated hitter going forward.
Yankees beat writer Randy Miller of NJ.com took it a step further, writing, “One thing that’s ruled out for this year (and maybe forever) is Giancarlo Stanton playing outfield.”
It would mark the clearest indication yet that the Yankees are closing the book on Giancarlo Stanton’s days as an outfielder. Since 2021, he has played the field in just 97 of 350 games and did not appear in the outfield at all last season. Given his recurring hamstring issues and declining mobility, a full-time shift to DH would come as little surprise.
The challenge, however, is where Giancarlo Stanton fits into the current roster.
Ben Rice, the Yankees’ breakout second-year hitter, has become a fixture in the lineup. The left-handed slugger owns nine home runs, a .937 OPS, and a 1.3 bWAR through 144 plate appearances. Only Aaron Judge (3.4 bWAR) has been more valuable among Yankees position players entering Monday. Rice, along with shortstop Anthony Volpe, has emerged as a key contributor — making lineup decisions more complicated as Stanton nears his return.
While Rice has experience behind the plate and at first base, manager Aaron Boone has shown little inclination to use him regularly in either role. Paul Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP, has seen most of the time at first. Meanwhile, Austin Wells continues to receive opportunities at catcher despite inconsistent production.
That leaves the designated hitter spot as the primary place for Rice to get at-bats — the same role now earmarked for Stanton. Boone has not indicated whether a platoon is under consideration, but with Rice outperforming expectations and offering a left-handed power bat, the Yankees may face a difficult choice.
Stanton’s recent injury history complicates the picture further. He has played more than 120 games only once since 2019 and has landed on the injured list in each of the last two seasons with lower-body ailments. Preserving his health remains a priority for the Yankees, but so does maximizing offensive output in a crowded lineup.
With a surplus of outfielders — including Judge, Juan Soto, and Alex Verdugo — and a younger, more productive DH option in Rice, Stanton’s path back to everyday playing time is far from guaranteed. His $30 million salary makes the situation even more delicate, especially if his return does not come with an immediate impact at the plate.
For now, the Yankees appear committed to keeping Stanton off the field defensively. Whether that means a reduced role or a new phase of his career as a part-time DH remains to be seen. Either way, a quiet but pivotal shift is underway in the Bronx.
