Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton's frustration mounts during an empty September
NEW YORK – Giancarlo Stanton’s September swoon continued with Wednesday’s 0-for-4, piling onto the Yankees slugger’s overall “frustration’’ with an empty 2023 season.
“Terrible,’’ Stanton said of his .188 batting average this year, following the Yankees’ 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays, their second straight offensive no-show against Toronto pitching.
In an overall difficult season, Stanton is having a nightmarish finish, batting .089 in 15 games since Aug. 31 with 24 strikeouts in 56 at-bats.
Four of his five hits in the span have left the ballpark, but Stanton’s occasional home run isn’t much help to a stagnant, imbalanced lineup.
“I’m not putting the ball in play hard enough multiple times,’’ Stanton said. “Can’t produce like this season, so it’s got to change.’’
Stanton, who turns 34 in December, has $128 million remaining through 2027 on his gargantuan contract, with the Miami Marlins on the hook for $30 million of that salary, in instalments.
The Stanton situation must be among the topics addressed by the Yankees this winter, when the organization conducts its review and seeks remedies – with the help of an outside firm – to improve its application of analytics, among other items.
Stanton has promised his own, personal deep dive toward 2024 improvements at the plate.
“A lot of things I’ve got to work and adjust on,’’ said Stanton. “But if you guys think I’m just showing up and going out there and not working, then I don’t know what to tell you.’’
Stanton’s history of lower body issues, including a hamstring strain that cost him a large portion of this year’s first half, have made him a cautious baserunner and outfielder- on the occasions he plays the outfield instead of starting at designated hitter.
“There’s absolutely a lot of conversation to be had there,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, hopeful that Stanton will have “a winter to grow from this and make whatever adjustments (toward) a better situation’’ in 2024.
The object is to find “a more consistent Giancarlo that, I believe, is still in there,’’ Boone said.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton's frustration mounts during an empty September
