Out since spring training due to tendinitis in both elbows, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton made his season debut Monday night, going 2-for-4 with a double in the team’s 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The five-time All-Star told reporters after the loss that he felt good at the plate and will need to continue working on his swing timing.
“Great to be back,” Stanton said. “Obviously wanted to win. But yeah, it’s good to be back out there. Thought I saw the ball pretty well besides one at-bat. So we just working on that, making sure my timing’s geared up. Get rolling.”
Stanton came up to bat for the first time with two outs and two runners on base, but hit a hard groundout to third base (101.5 mph exit velocity). He singled in the bottom of the fourth, ripping a grounder 111.1 mph past the shortstop into left field. Stanton later struck out his third time at bat on three straight knuckle curves from Jose Soriano.
He bounced back leading off the bottom of the ninth, doubling to left field on a sharply hit grounder off veteran reliever Kenley Jansen. Jasson Domínguez
came in to pinch-run for him, but the Yanks couldn’t capitalize and failed to score.
“Thought he was great,” manager Aaron Boone said of Stanton. “First at-bat too, first and second there, again off Soriano, who’s tough to get the ball in the air, especially for righties. He smokes that ball to third. You watch [Luis] Rengifo play it, that thing’s gaining on him in a hurry.
“Then two more, gets the base it and smokes the double to get us going there in the ninth. Yeah, I thought he looked really good.”
Overall, Boone was pleased with what he saw from the former MVP.
“I thought he moved well on his double,” Boone said. “Where I’ve seen, it seems like as he’s been getting his live ABs and then the rehab stint, I feel like his timing with the fastball has been good. Now it’s just about continuing to do it over and over and seeing how he bounces back every day. I thought he looked sharp.”
Stanton agreed that the four games with Double-A Somerset, including three straight, were “important” for his comeback and checked off some boxes. As for how he’ll prepare for more games, it’ll be an emphasis on seeing the ball.
“Make sure I’m ready, make sure I’m ready for 100 mph,” Stanton said. “With not as many at-bats under my belt, that’s gonna be the most important, see the ball early. Normal things you would say mid-season, but emphasize it a little more now.”
Now with Stanton back, Boone will have to figure out the playing time rotation with him, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt. Stanton will DH, with the other two DH-ing and splitting time at first base. Rice has 12 homers, 11 doubles, and 26 RBI over 63 games, while Goldschmidt is hitting .309 with 31 RBI over 71 games. Stanton was asked about his role and made it clear he’s willing to help the team however he can, especially while the Yankees have scored just five runs in the last 49 innings and dropped four straight games.
“Whatever’s best for us to win, that’s the most important,” Stanton said. “And the guys that aren’t going to be starting are gonna be coming in in huge pinch-hit spots. In that opportunity, it’s usually a spot a chance to win the game anyway. Yeah, we’ll work with it.”
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