New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is probably going to be in the “best shape of his life” when he arrives in Florida for spring training next month.
We know that because a photo shared on social media last week showed a slimmer Stanton in the gym, effectively backing up his end-of-season promise of changes and manager Aaron Boone’s expectations that his 6-6, 245-pound slugger will be “leaner” and “slimmer” in 2024 after another injury-shortened and disappointing campaign.
But, according to one former major leaguer, it’s not likely to help much at all, and instead, Stanton should be embracing what he does best.
“You can’t reinvent the wheel later in your career. You don’t all of a sudden become a speed guy,” ex-Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon said on Wednesday’s “Foul Territory” as he doubled down on X comments that he’d bet the under on Stanton’s home run total.
(Nobody said Stanton was looking to steal bases in 2024 … but the Yankees would like to see him on the field more regularly. He has played 211 of 324 regular-season games over the past two seasons.)
Alas, Papelbon continued, clarifying that he considers Stanton a “great player”
“But, dude, you try to lose 20 pounds, and I’m just sorry,” Papelbon, a six-time All-Star, said. “Mass equals gas and mass equals home runs, in my opinion. …
“I was shocked, man, because, you know, Stanton’s a big dude, and he’s not fast and he hits home runs. You gotta know your role, and I feel like he’s outside of his role here. I feel like it hurts the Yankees.”
How much more could Stanton hurt the Yankees?
Since joining the Yankees in 2018 after a trade from the Miami Marlins — in the fourth year of a 13-year, $325 million deal — Stanton has played in 549 games in six seasons, batting .243/.328/.484 with a 121 OPS+, 135 home runs and 359 RBI. His offensive production has dipped over the past four seasons, when he had a 146 OPS+ in 2020 and an 87 OPS+ in 2023 after a .191/.275/.420 line with 24 home runs and 60 RBI.
The Yankees and Stanton hope Papelbon regrets those words by October.
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