Giancarlo Stanton has more often than not been maligned during his time with the New York Yankees — a reality his 13-year, $325 million contract was always going to open him up to.
Once one of the game’s most imposing sluggers, Stanton joined the Yankees after mashing 59 home runs in 2017 with the Miami Marlins. Since then, he has never hit 40 in a single season as injuries have been a constant throughout his days in the Bronx.
He has played in just 58% of the Yankees’ games since the start of the 2018 season, posting 162-game averages of 40 home runs and 105 RBI during that span. But his lack of availability, paired with a batting average that has sagged to .213 over the last three seasons, has made it feel as though he’s been booed at Yankee Stadium as much as he’s been cheered.
Perhaps that has been a foolhardy decision by Yankees fans considering Stanton has been one of the franchise’s most prolific postseason performers, which is a notion that has continued with this run to the 2024 ALCS.
Stanton hit his second home run of the postseason in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday night at Yankee Stadium during New York’s 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians — a 439-foot majestic blast to left to give the Yankees a four-run lead in the seventh inning.
It was his 13th home run in 32 postseason games with the Bronx Bombers. Babe Ruth is the only other Yankee to have 13 or more home runs in their first 32 postseason games (h/t Katie Sharp). That’s how good Stanton has been with the Yankees in October.
“Just hyperfocus. I understand how important each pitch, each moment is,” Stanton said when asked how he’s been able to turn it on in the playoffs. “I understand that you’re not always going to be successful in those moments but anything I can do, any bit of information, or video, or swings, anything I can do to be in my best spot in this moment [I’ll do].”
His contributions have been especially important considering Aaron Judge’s continued struggles. Judge entered Game 2 of the ALCS 2-for-15 in the 2024 postseason with zero home runs and one RBI, meaning the Yankees’ offense has had to improvise to advance.
Stanton has been one of the most consistent components of that formula, which is nothing new since he came to the Bronx.
