New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton boasts about team’s lineup: "When we’re all out there, it’s a force to be reckoned with"
New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is expecting big things from his team's big bats this season. The designated hitter, likely to be New York's cleanup hitter in 2023, is impressed with the Yankees' offensive capabilities.
“When we’re all out there, it’s a force to be reckoned with,” Stanton said. “We just work off these days. As many days as we can get close to our full lineup out there, it’s a fun look and preview for this year.”
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"When we’re all out there, it’s a force to be reckoned with," Stanton said about the New York Yankees' offensive strength to MLB.com.
Stanton, who missed much of the second half of the 2022 season due to an Achilles tendon injury, still managed to hit 31 home runs over 110 games.
The Yankees, despite trailing off offensively after Stanton went down, still led the American League with 254 homers, 764 RBIs and 807 runs scored.
Stanton's manager, Aaron Boone, said that the Yankees' DH looks "locked in" in spring training, telling MLB.com:
"His at-bats in the live sessions have looked really good. The last couple of years, he’s come in like that as well. I feel like he has a much more polished understanding of who he is as a hitter. He looks really good so far."
Stanton is already taking it out on opposing pitchers. In the New York Yankees' spring training game against the Washington Nationals, Stanton blasted a 112.4 mph line drive into the right calf of Nationals pitcher Cory Abbott – although Abbott managed to throw Stanton out at first base.
He commented on the event after the game:
"In spring, I always seem to hit a pitcher. Good thing it was low. I know it's not going to feel good later, but good thing he stayed in and got his work in. Hopefully, he's all right."
Stanton will have a front-row seat to fellow Yankee Aaron Judge's encore to his American League-record 62 home run season last year. Stanton and Judge, along with Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader will likely make up the top two-thirds of the New York Yankees' regular lineup once the season starts.
Stanton entering sixth season with New York Yankees
The New York Yankees traded Starlin Castro, Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers to the Miami Marlins for Stanton on Dec. 11, 2017. It was just months after Stanton won the National League Most Valuable Player award for the Marlins after leading the majors with 57 home runs and 132 RBIs.
Stanton hasn't hit those heights with the Yankees, but is still a formidable middle-of-the-order threat with 111 home runs and 299 RBIs over five seasons in New York.