"Yankees aren't good at keeping people healthy" - Ex-MLB star faults Giancarlo Stanton’s injury struggles post-$300M contract on Bronx Bombers
Giancarlo Stanton might be one of the most polarizing superstars in the MLB, but not for anything controversial that he has done. The veteran slugger is one of the most powerful players in the league when he is healthy. However, remaining on the field has been his biggest challenge in recent years.
This has led to Stanton being unable to guide the Yankees to a title or even live up to his lucrative contract.
On the latest episode of Baseball Today, hosts Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe dove into the career of Giancarlo Stanton and the perception of him around the league.
Both hosts agreed that Stanton's career is worth celebrating. However, Rose pointed out that since he came to New York with a massive contract, some expected incredible production from him, which hasn't transpired.
"When you come up to New York with a $300 million contract in your bag, you're going to be expected to put up some MVP-ish numbers and they just haven't been there [24:44]," Rose explained.
Plouffe followed up by suggesting that injuries are one of the reasons why Stanton's production has lacked in New York. The former Minnesota Twin pointed out that it's difficult to stay healthy as players age. He also suggested that there may be other reasons behind his injuries.
"I feel like the Yankees aren't very good at keeping people healthy... you have to point some fingers there [25:17]."
It may be difficult to prove whether or not the New York Yankees are partially to blame for Stanton's injury woes. But injuries have played a major factor in their struggles in recent years. Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Gerrit Cole and Stanton himself have all missed time due to significant injuries in recent seasons.
All that being said, the narrative around Giancarlo Stanton's tenure in New York could change dramatically if the club were to win their first World Series title since 2009. It's funny what a ring can do for a player's legacy.
Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe discussed some historical comparisons for Giancarlo Stanton
It's been an impressive career for Giancarlo Stanton, winning the National League MVP Award in 2017 with the Miami Marlins and racking up 427 home runs so far in the majors.
This sustained level of production for 15 seasons led Plouffe and Rose to discuss two potential historical comps for the star: Jose Canseco and Paul Konerko.
"Obviously the huge difference is that one's a really good dude and one's a... fill in however you'd like to on that with Jose Canseco [26:15]," Rose said of the two sluggers.
Although Canseco made an impact on the basepaths by swiping base after base, the two outfielders have produced similar numbers in their careers.
The former Oakland A's star finished with 462 home runs in his career, a number that Stanton should be able to surpass in the next two seasons if he remains healthy.
Both Rose and Plouffe agree that Stanton has enjoyed a phenomenal career so far, becoming the only active player with 10 seasons of 25 home runs or more. The duo hope that Giancarlo Stanton will get the flowers he deserves.