As the New York Yankees prepare for Spring Training, there is a lot of optimism. Following a 2023 season in which they were on the outside looking in on the playoff race in a stacked AL East, the Yankees added Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo as part of a major outfield overhaul that includes Aaron Judge playing the most innings in centerfield, as well as Marcus Stroman to bolster the team’s pitching depth.
But the Yankees have always had high expectations. This is standard operating procedure for baseball’s most successful team, which is aiming for its 28th World Series championship. High expectations have serious implications if they are not met. According to The Athletic’s survey of 31 executives, past executives, coaches, and scouts, they believe Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman are under the most pressure to perform in 2024, with 16 votes.
The Yankees are a proud franchise that views playoff exits to be a big disappointment, let alone missing the playoffs entirely, like they did in 2023 after finishing 82–80. That was only the fifth time the Yankees missed the postseason during Cashman’s tenure as general manager, and in 2023, they had their poorest win-loss record under the seasoned GM.
For years, the Yankees have dominated the MLB scene due to their unapologetic willingness to spend big money on free players. However, Brian Cashman failed to sign the team’s top free agent target, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, indicating that the playing field is leveling out, particularly with the Los Angeles Dodgers emerging as the MLB’s second Evil Empire out West.
Aaron Boone has led the Yankees to mostly outstanding results. They’ve made the ALCS twice, and the players clearly enjoy having him around in the locker room. But it’s been 14 years since the pinstripes last won the World Series, and the clock is ticking. They have all of the weapons they need to win, if they stay healthy. But, with so much pressure on them, can they pull it together and deliver?
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Adversity fuels Giancarlo Stanton’s 2024 expectations.
Giancarlo Stanton’s entrance at spring training for the New York Yankees has sparked speculation about his slim build and role on the team. Stanton is an exceptional physical specimen regardless of his weight loss, and he appears to look more like a baseball player since he lacks bulk, which is typically a result of intense weightlifting. Stanton’s body has transformed as a result of his offseason training regimen, which emphasizes quickness and mobility. Standing next to teammate Aaron Judge, you can see the difference. Despite the hoopla surrounding the debut of outfielder Juan Soto, Stanton no longer shares the spotlight with Judge. After six seasons of disappointments and injuries, Stanton is at a crossroads in his career with the Yankees, looking to reinvent himself through adversity.
While it is inaccurate to say Stanton is an afterthought in light of Soto’s arrival, he is no longer seen as having the same talent and worth as Judge. Stanton is an enigma as he enters his 34th season, but don’t underestimate his importance on the Yankees offense. Stanton’s concerns stem mostly from his failure to stay healthy over the course of a season, which has harmed his inherent abilities. Unfortunately, he has become a caricature of the one-dimensional baseball player. Stanton’s approach to hitting has shunned flexibility and lower body activation, resulting in noticeable stiffness in the batter’s box as he relies mainly on muscle strength in his arms, shoulders, and wrists.
According to Baseball-Reference, Stanton has appeared in 549 of the Yankees’ 870 games over the last six seasons. Stanton has appeared in 63.1% of the Yankees’ games over his career. According to Spotrac, Stanton has lost 306 days and earned almost $45.5 million due to injuries since the 2019 season. He has been on Major League Baseball’s injured list seven times while donning the iconic pinstripes. Stanton had only played 18 games in 2019 before being transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injury list due to a strained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Aside from the injuries, there is controversy surrounding Stanton’s 13-year, $325 million contract extension with the Miami Marlins, which he signed in November 2014. Currently, the Yankees must view it as a four-year, $128 million contract with a club option for the 2028 season worth $25 million and a $10 million buyout. The remaining years of the contract cover Stanton’s age-34 to age-37 seasons and include a no-trade clause. Stanton’s average annual value under Competitive Balance Tax is $25 million.
Financial relief is on the way for the Yankees, who will receive six $5 million payments from the Marlins over a three-year period beginning in 2026 since Stanton did not exercise his opt-out clause in his contract after the 2020 season.
Even though Stanton has become a popular target for criticism, it’s difficult to deny that Statcast has fallen in love with him. According to Baseball Savant, five players have hit a baseball with an exit velocity of at least 120 mph since 2015, when the technology was deployed in Major League Baseball ballparks. Four of the five have only done it once, compared to Stanton’s 14 times. Stanton has hit at least 115 mph on 118 occasions over his six seasons with the Yankees. The closest baseball player to Stanton during this time was Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, who accomplished this feat 49 times.
Nobody will deny that Stanton’s performance last season was the worst of his career. Whether you take a traditional or advanced approach to evaluating a ball player through the lens of statistics, a.695 on-base plus slugging (OPS) combined with a wins above replacement (WAR) based on FanGraphs’ calculation of -0.8 is unacceptable for a ball player with Stanton’s pedigree as a former National League Most Valuable Player Award winner (2017). Stanton’s journey to reinvention begins with good health, honesty, and a growth attitude.
Stanton is expected to play 105 games in 2024, hitting 24 home runs in 455 plate appearances and finishing with a.776 OPS and 0.9 WAR, according to FanGraphs. Despite the slight increases in a multitude of statistical categories, FanGraphs still predicts Stanton will miss 57 games. Given these assumptions, it’s difficult to justify a $32 million pay. Soto will earn $31 million on a one-year contract, setting a record for an arbitration-eligible baseball player, according to Spotrac. The 25-year-old outfielder is being rewarded handsomely for his.930 OPS and 5.5 WAR in 162 games last season.
So, where can you find value with Stanton? It all starts with consistency as an everyday player and filling out the Yankees’ lineup by hitting sixth or seventh as the designated hitter. Throughout his 14-year major league career, Stanton has been known as a dangerous hitter, but he must mature into a professional hitter who uses experience to cultivate a renewed approach to plate discipline. Stanton’s season goals include becoming an above-league average ball player in terms of on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG), as well as producing an OPS of at least.
