There’s always a cost when a superstar returns—and this week, it came with a pink slip for Pablo Reyes.
After weeks of anticipation, Giancarlo Stanton’s name finally flashed back onto the New York Yankees’ lineup card. For fans, it brought hope.
For Reyes, it meant the clock had struck midnight. Like a background actor abruptly written out when the star reenters the scene, his run quietly ended Monday, when the Yankees designated him for assignment.
The move had been telegraphed, not with words but with silence—an absence of impact at the plate, a string of forgettable at-bats, and a team looking ahead.
Giancarlo Stanton returns, and the Yankees make room the hard way
When the Yankees announced Stanton’s reinstatement from the 60-day injured list, it brought a collective exhale from a fanbase tired of power outages.
The Yankees’ official post read simply: “Returned DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton (#27) from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 60-day injured list. Designated INF/OF Pablo Reyes for assignment.”
Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
• Returned DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton (#27) from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 60-day injured list.
• Designated INF/OF Pablo Reyes for assignment.— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 16, 2025
But behind the routine phrasing is a harsh reality. For Reyes, this is baseball’s version of musical chairs—and when the music stopped, he was the odd man out.
Reyes’ bat couldn’t back up his glove
No one questions Reyes’ glove. His ability to play both infield and outfield gave the Yankees some breathing room during a stretch riddled with injuries.
He’s exactly the kind of player managers love to have tucked away on the bench: a Swiss Army knife in cleats. But versatility only carries you so far when your bat is stuck in hibernation.
In 25 games and 34 plate appearances this season, Reyes hit .194 with an OPS of .468. His wRC+—a catch-all offensive metric where 100 is league average—was just 32. In other words, he hit like a pitcher.
As the Yankees’ offense became more crowded and productive, keeping Reyes around started to look more like a roster liability than a tactical advantage.
A spring training triumph that didn’t translate
Reyes earned his spot on the Opening Day roster through a solid spring, a time when underdogs claw their way into contention.
He didn’t just sneak onto the roster—he beat out contenders. But as the summer sun replaced the spring breeze, Reyes’ value began to fade.
The Yankees’ reliance on him said more about their thin bench than any particular breakout by Reyes himself.
There were flashes of reliability—occasional decent at-bats against lefties and competent defense. But baseball doesn’t pay for potential forever, and Reyes ran out of time.
What’s next for Reyes?
Reyes will now likely be exposed to waivers. If no other club claims him, he could return to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a depth option.
That wouldn’t be a surprise. Reyes is the type of player who sticks around the fringes of the league for a while, bouncing between teams, always one call away from the majors when injuries pile up.
For now, though, his journey with the Yankees is on pause—perhaps permanently.
A familiar tune in the Bronx
The Reyes situation is a classic tale: a depth piece caught in the churn of a contending team’s roster shuffle.
Giancarlo Stanton, for all his injury concerns, remains an elite power bat. The Yankees are trying to win now, and there’s little room for sentimentality when every roster spot is precious.
Reyes may find his way back to the Yankees’ system or catch on elsewhere. But like a supporting actor cut when the blockbuster name returns, his exit felt inevitable—sad, yes, but part of the business.
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