Brian Cashman Vindicated? Giancarlo Stanton’s Latest Injury Forces Yankees Fans to Revisit GM’s Controversial Comments

In 2023, Giancarlo Stanton faced an injury-riddled season that limited his playing time to 101 games. His performance fell well short of expectations, hitting.191 with 24 home runs and 60 RBIs, which was disappointing for the Yankees.

This is not the only time injuries have affected Stanton’s tenure with the team. Although he showed potential during his time with the Miami Marlins, Stanton has struggled to replicate that success in New York. Naturally, this has raised doubts about whether acquiring Stanton has been a move for the Yankees.

Brian Cashman, the Yankees General Manager added controversy to the situation with his comments in November 2023. At the GM Meetings Cashman publicly mentioned that Stanton’s injuries were a recurring issue and that he expected further setbacks to be quite likely.

“We try to limit the time he’s down,” Cashman said at the general manager meetings in Arizona, according to the New York Daily News. “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.”

Cashman was cooking pic.twitter.com/VxCwkM8wHK

— Jonny’s Lasagna ⚾️ (@JLasagna43) June 23, 2024

These remarks sparked criticism, from fans who felt Cashman was unjustly singling out a player and possibly affecting Stanton’s trade market value. In response, Stanton’s agent Joel Wolfe took aim at the Yankees organization, pointing out the challenges of playing under scrutiny in New York.

The controversy surrounding Stanton and the Yankees led to a lot of attention, in the media. Despite Cashman’s attempts to backtrack on his comments later, the damage was already done, affecting Stanton’s mindset and public image as they entered the 2024 season.

Fast forward to today, June 23, 2024. Stanton is still dealing with injury problems. He had to leave Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves due to tightness in his hamstring. Early reports suggest he’ll be sidelined for a few days at least.

Understandably, Yankee fans are worried considering Stanton’s history of injuries.

“Hate to see it but yeah, as players age they get hurt more and more,” wrote one consoling fan.

“We knew Cash was spitting hot fire, LMAO 100% facts whether G wants to admit it or not,” wrote another fan.

“The contract was a bust. He was not the player we thought we’d get and now we’re stuck with him,” wrote a third fan.

“Okay so if Cash knew that, why did he make that trade with the Marlins? Exactly Cash’s fault,” vented out a Yankees fan counter-questioning Brian Cashman’s trade move.

A fifth fan wrote, “He [Brian Cashman] definitely wasn’t wrong. (Unfortunate).”

Cashman’s remarks back in November 2023 came at the wrong time, as they added fuel to concerns about Stanton’s worth and the Yankees’ dedication to him. While worries about Stanton’s history with injuries are legitimate, the whole fiasco turned into a PR misstep. Going forward, it’s crucial for both the Yankees and Stanton to effectively manage his health and reduce negativity to rebuild trust and performance.

However, while Stanton works on rebuilding his reputation with fans, the Yankees are already looking for replacements after being hit by a slew of injuries.

New York Yankees Look for Replacement DH Amid Jasson Dominguez and Giancarlo Stanton Injuries

With Giancarlo Stanton and top prospect Jasson Dominguez sidelined due to injuries the Yankees are facing a decision at Designated Hitter. Despite bringing back infielder Oswald Peraza from the minors, he may not be fit for the DH role.

One idea is to switch around the outfielders having Aaron Judge and Juan Soto alternate as designated hitters to keep their hitting abilities in the lineup while also allowing them some rest.

On the side, this strategy may weaken the outfield defense that is already struggling with Starling Marte sidelined. Another approach could be to utilize Peraza in the infield and occasionally slot him in as a designated hitter. However, this might pose challenges as Peraza lacks experience in that role. Moreover, this move would require benching either DJ LeMahieu or Gleyber Torres impacting the team’s batting strength.

A third option for the Yankees could be to give Austin Wells a shot at being a designated hitter enabling the catching prospect to focus on his batting without the toll of catching behind the plate. Yet this move could deplete their catching depth, as Wells may not perform up to expectations.

The probable solution seems to be a mix of rotating Judge and Soto at DH while also giving Peraza some playing time. This balanced approach aims at managing player workloads effectively while sustaining output.

However, in case Stanton’s injury extends over a period, considering other options might become necessary depending on his recovery timeline. This scenario presents both obstacles and chances for exploring how other players can contribute offensively in the New York Yankees.