Yankees Look to Welcome Back the 2024 ALCS MVP After Lackluster Boston Series
This weekend, the New York Yankees suffered a fate that only three teams had escaped this far into the season: getting swept. The Yankees have now lost to the Boston Red Sox in five straight games, dropping their record against teams in the American League East to 8-11. Since Thursday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees have scored five total runs, with only one via home run. In game one, Garrett Crochet shut out the Yankees until Aaron Judge’s ninth-inning home run, followed by baserunning blunders and blatant miscommunication in Saturday’s game two. Sunday’s series finale was a lackluster showing from the offense, with the starting nine failing to get a run to support another dominant showing from Max Fried. The offense has to be looking forward to adding former MVP Giancarlo Stanton to the lineup this week.
Stanton has been out of the Yankees’ lineup since Spring Training with tennis elbow in both arms, an issue that dates back to last season. This has kept Stanton out of the first 80 games, leaving the Yankees to wonder what he would have done if healthy after his performance in the playoffs last season. The designated hitter played in three rehab games with Double-A Somerset this past week, going three-11 with one double, four RBIs, and a walk. Stanton spent the past two days working out at Yankee Stadium due to wet conditions in Somerset.
The return of Stanton poses many question marks that Aaron Boone and the Yankees will need to take time to figure out. The designated hitter spot is now taken, so what does that mean for players like Ben Rice and Jasson Domínguez? Will Trent Grisham also see less playing time? While a plethora of players is never a bad thing, taking the time to figure out who is good enough to keep in the lineup and who needs to be designated for assignment or sent down to Triple-A may be a tall task for the Yankees manager.
Stanton coming back will bring a new balance to the lineup, even if it takes time for him to get going. After a frustrating series against the Red Sox, the Yankees will return home to the Bronx to face the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels were just swept by the Baltimore Orioles, and the Yankees have the chance to sweep them again for the second time this season. Stanton coming back during this series gives him the chance to get right before a pivotal AL East matchup against the Orioles next weekend.
