At least one American League scout believes the New York Yankees would be making a mistake by bringing Giancarlo Stanton up before the weekend series with the Boston Red Sox is over.
Just a few days after Stanton began his rehab assignment with Double-A Somersets, reports began to circulate suggesting that he may be brought back to the Yankees during the ongoing three game set at Fenway Park. Manager Aaron Boone did little to quelch those rumors by only somewhat inferring that Stanton would not be making a trip to Boston.
“I’m not necessarily expecting him playing this weekend,” Boone said. “But stranger things have happened.”
According to an unnamed scout, bringing Stanton up this weekend wouldn’t just be strange, it would be unwise. While watching Stanton play in person, the baseball analyst texted to a reporter for NJ Advance Media that Stanton was not ready to take on MLB pitchers.
“Nope, he needs more at-bats.”
Analyst Stresses Giancarlo Stanton ‘Needs More At-Bats’ Before Callup
The scout – granted anonymity due to his inability to publicly speak about players from other organizations – sat behind home plate at TD Bank Ballpark on as Stanton and the Somerset Patriots faced the Portland Sea Dogs. In texts and a later phone call, he told reporter Randy Miller that, although Stanton did hit an RBI double in four at-bats, the 35-year-old just looked like someone who hasn’t faced much live pitching in a while.
“He’s missed this much time and expects to make it up in two game’s worth of at-bats? No way,” the scout said. “I know Stanton got ABs in sim games, but it’s not the same.
“He’s got to shake that rust off at some point. He’s had no spring training. You can’t expect to go straight to the big leagues and hit. Come on, man! Get some at-bats!”
Perhaps the Yankees should be in no hurry to bring Stanton up anyway.
Yankees May Benefit From Giancarlo Stanton Starting Season Late
If Stanton’s time with the Yankees has proven nothing else, he cannot be counted on to play 150-plus games in a season. But if he can swing a bat in October, Stanton has a chance to be dangerous, so New York would be wise to keep him in a box to be opened at a later point in the regular season.
“This elbow (injury), the timing was perfect for the Yankees,” Miller quoted a different unnamed scout stating.
“Stanton can’t play a full year anymore, so instead of 6-7 months the Yankees are getting him for the last three. If I’m (GM Brian) Cashman, I’m thinking this is going to work out.”
In three games for Somerset, Stanton has three hits in 11 at-bats with four RBIs but no home runs. He has struck out three times with one walk. The scout who watched him live noted that Stanton looked “stiff and lethargic” running the bases, but there were some hopeful moments at the plate.
“He turned on a couple off-speed pitches in his first game,” he said. “They were legit line drives into the gaps. For the first time out, his swing looked pretty good. One ball he smoked one-hopped the wall in left-center. The outfielder thought it was routine and it went over his head. He got a single out of it.”
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