The New York Yankees are playing with fire when it comes to Giancarlo Stanton’s workload and health this season.
Since returning from the injured list, Stanton has been one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters, carrying the Yankees offensively.
Through 44 games, the 35-year-old is slashing .306/.386/.619 with a .953 OPS and 14 towering home runs.
If stretched across a full 162-game season, that production projects to over 40 home runs — vintage Stanton numbers.
Outfield duty complicates his resurgence
The problem is the Yankees have leaned on Stanton more heavily in the outfield due to Aaron Judge’s elbow setback.
Judge is unable to play defense until he can throw consistently again, leaving the designated hitter role locked in for now.
That’s forced Stanton into the field on consecutive days, something that has historically taken a toll on his recovery.
It’s a classic case of short-term need outweighing long-term caution, and the Yankees can’t afford another injury derailment.
Judge and Boone at odds over recovery timeline
This dynamic becomes even more complicated by differing messages from Aaron Boone and Judge regarding his throwing progress.
Boone suggested skepticism over Judge’s ability to throw normally again this season, citing lingering uncertainty with his elbow.
Judge quickly pushed back, insisting Boone hadn’t seen him throw recently and progress had been better than expected.
That back-and-forth underscores the cloud hanging over this situation — nobody truly knows when Judge will be fully available.
Stanton’s value too important to risk
Until that happens, the Yankees have little choice but to expose Stanton to more risk than they’d prefer.
His bat is simply too important to remove from the lineup, especially with New York needing consistent run production.
The danger lies in overextending him physically, as Stanton’s injury history is already one of the game’s most extensive.
Asking him to balance elite hitting with outfield defense feels like driving a sports car too fast on shaky tires.
What’s at stake moving forward
If Judge’s throwing progresses quickly, Stanton can return primarily to the DH role, preserving his legs and availability.
But if the timetable stretches weeks longer, New York may find themselves gambling with Stanton’s health every single series.
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The Yankees’ postseason hopes depend on keeping both sluggers active, which makes this balancing act increasingly critical to watch.
For now, the team is betting Stanton’s resurgence can withstand the extra demands — but that bet carries obvious risk.