What did the New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman say about Giancarlo Stanton?

While it would be fair to say that the New York Yankees addressed some of their issues on Monday with a move to acquire a new hitting coach in James Rowson, it would also be accurate to highlight the idea that Rowson alone will not solve the team’s problems.

Did Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman take a shot at Giancarlo Stanton?

As mentioned above, the New York Yankees finally made a move worth noting on Monday when they acquired a new hitting coach in the form of James Rowson. Now, while it’s understood that the 47-year-old has not only worked with the Yankees before - he had a role in the farm system - it’s also reported that he has a closer personal relationship with Aaron Judge. Yet, as the team and its fans will know all too well, there is also the question of how the Yankees will replace bench coach Carlos Mendoza, now that he’s joined the New York Mets as their new manager.

This is all to say that the Yankees still have some work to do in finding reinforcements for a roster that had a disappointing campaign in 2023. On the other hand, that process must start with the talent that’s already on hand such as Giancarlo Stanton who Yankees general manager Brian Cashman himself seems to have taken a thinly veiled jab at. Of course, there are those who will debate that notion, but you can be the judge.

What did Brian Cashman say about Giancarlo Stanton?

It was during MLB’s general manager meetings last week in Scottsdale, Arizona, an affair that was temporarily halted by a rampant stomach bug when Cashman gave his view on the 34-year-old star outfielder. “We’ve gotta get Stanton up and running again,” Cashman said in Arizona. “He’s injury-prone. We all have lived and known that, but he’s never not hit when he’s playing, and this year is the first time that that’s happened.” Cashman continued, as he addressed the idea of the greater good that could be achieved in limiting Stanton’s time on the field.

“We try to limit the time he’s down,” he said. “But I’m not gonna tell you he’s gonna play every game next year because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game. But I know that when he’s right and healthy – other than this past year – the guy’s a great hitter and has been for a long time. ...He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game?”

Does Brian Cashman have a point and how did Giancarlo Stanton’s camp respond?

That’s a tricky question. On one side, yes, Stanton has in fact spent quite some time off the field in recent years due to injury. On the other, one has to ask whether publicly alluding to the downside of one of the team’s core players is really the best way forward. Adding further context to the situation is the fact that former Yankees and Florida Marlins teammate Cameron Maybin recently said that he’s unsure as to whether Stanton actually wants to finish his career in the Big Apple.

This brings us to the reception of Cashman’s comments. Though Stanton himself declined to respond, his agent Joel Wolfe certainly did according to reports. “I read the context of the entire interview. I think it’s a good reminder for all free agents considering signing in New York both foreign and domestic that to play for that team you’ve got to be made of Teflon, both mentally and physically because you can never let your guard down even in the offseason.”

Again, we’ve got to consider that whether true or not, Cashman’s comments do not serve the greater good as Wolfe seems to be implying that there is discontent afoot, something that carries even more weight when you understand that he also represents Japanese sensation, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a player widely reported to be heading to the Yankees this very offseason.

OK, but let’s talk about Giancarlo Stanton’s numbers

Off the bat, we’ve got to acknowledge that Stanton has played in just over 50% of his possible regular-season games since 2019 - 391 of 708 to be precise. To compound the issue is the fact that 2023 was without a doubt the worst year of his career, as he batted .191/.275/.420 with 24 home runs in 101 games. Mind you, that was after a 2022 campaign that saw him put up what was considered the worst numbers of his career at that point. Where the team itself is concerned, the Yankees finished 25th in runs and 24th in OPS in 2023, and while Stanton’s injuries and underperformance contributed to that, Cashman did not build adequate depth to fill in. Yet, it would be unfair to place all of the blame on Stanton. Indeed, one could argue that it’s been Cashman’s failure to build a competitive roster that’s hurt worse. When you take into account that the franchise has a payroll that’s close to $300 million, that simply isn’t good enough.