Giancarlo Stanton’s spot on the Yankees’ postseason roster turned plenty of heads for the Wild Card round, but it never translated into actual game action against the Boston Red Sox. That left the real question hanging as New York moved toward the ALDS: would Stanton, and Aaron Judge, be available against the Tampa Bay Rays?
According to the latest report, the answer is leaning the wrong way for Yankees fans. Randy Miller wrote that “DH-ing isn’t an option because Ben Rice will fill that spot and pinch-hitting like Giancarlo Stanton did for the Red Sox series is probably out, too.
“Stanton made the cut for the Wild Card Series because the Yankees carried only 10 pitchers. They went with 11 for last year’s ALDS matchup with the Blue Jays, and will probably do so again this year. That would likely send Stanton to the taxi squad and possibly delay Judge’s return for at least one more round,” Randy Miller wrote.
That makes Judge the bigger concern, but Stanton’s situation is part of the same uncertainty. Even after being included for the Wild Card Series, there still isn’t a clear sign that he can get on the field and provide the kind of offensive impact he’s known for.
The fact that the Yankees carried him at all suggested some level of confidence in his health. At the very least, it left open the possibility of a pinch-hit appearance. But heading into the ALDS, that optimism appears to be fading.
In Other News...
Rays Just Got The ALDS Jolt Yankees Fans Feared Most
Drew Rasmussen gave Tampa Bay exactly the kind of October start that can change a series in a hurry. In Game 1 of the American League Division Series, he worked a complete-game shutout against the Yankees, carrying a no-hit bid into the eighth inning and striking out 10 while walking two in a 1-0 Rays win.
Rasmussen retired 15 hitters in a row before a double finally broke up the no-hit attempt, and by then the damage was already done. The Rays now hold a 1-0 lead in the series, with one outing serving as an early reminder that New York may have to solve Tampa Bays pitching the hard way. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Added Another Problem For The Yankees In This Series
Drew Rasmussen gave the Rays exactly the kind of October start that changes a series, carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Austin Wells finally broke it up in Game 1 of the ALDS. Tampa Bay still walked away with a 1-0 win over the Yankees, and the result only sharpened the pressure on a New York lineup that spent most of the night chasing a pitcher who never seemed to lose command.
Giancarlo Stantons return added another layer to the Yankees situation, with the slugger coming off the bench in the ninth inning for his first game action before striking out against Bryan Baker. Aaron Boone pointed to Stantons preparation afterward and left open the possibility of more appearances in the series, which gives New York one more variable to manage as it tries to answer a Rays staff that already has the upper hand. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Fans Have One Big Concern After That Game 1 Loss
Drew Rasmussen made a lot of Yankees fans uneasy in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and for good reason. The Rays right-hander carved through New York for eight scoreless innings, allowed only one hit and struck out 10, turning the opener into a tense, low-scoring grind at Yankee Stadium.
Austin Wells finally broke up the no-hit bid with a double in the eighth, but the inning ended with him thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, and Tampa Bay kept its 1-0 lead intact. Jonathan Arandas solo homer was the only run the Rays needed, leaving New York staring at an early series deficit and wondering what it has to do differently before the next game. [Read more 🡒]