New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has a tough decision to make when designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton returns from the injured list.
Youngster Ben Rice, a primary first baseman, has taken control of the DH spot for the Yankees amid Stanton’s tennis elbow issues in both arms. Rice has taken a dramatic offensive leap from last season, his rookie year. The lefty, who can also play catcher, has a 151 OPS+, nine home runs, and a .545 slugging percentage, good for 15th in Major League Baseball.
Due to the recent excellent stretch of hitting by Rice, the Yankees and Boone may have a tough time taking him out of the lineup, even when Stanton, a former MVP and New York’s savior in the 2024 postseason, is at full health.
Would the Yankees consider trading Stanton?
A recent trade idea by Clutch Point’s Zachary Howell lists Stanton as a potential trade candidate for the Seattle Mariners.
“The former MVP is a risky addition, but Seattle is the team to take that chance, wrote Howell. “Adding him bumps Jorge Polanco back to his original position at third base, but the Mariners would have capable offensive players at every position. For a team with a middling offense, adding Stanton could propel them to even greater heights.”
Stanton last played 130 or more games in a season in 2021, and the two years before that, he played 23 and 18. However, it should be noted that he only played 23 games in 2020, because the MLB shortened the number of games each organization would play to 60 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When healthy, the 35-year-old remains one of the better power hitters in baseball. After Stanton led MLB with 59 home runs in 2017, he’s amassed no less than 24 home runs in a season in which he played 101 or more games.
Stanton Could Lead Mariners’ Offense in Postseason
The Mariners have received well above-average offensive production from catcher Cal Raleigh and second baseman Jorge Polanco. Still, the club might need more to get over the hump and deep into the postseason.
Stanton had one of MLB’s best individual postseason performances last October, leading the Yankees to the World Series. He hit multiple clutch home runs in the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians and finished with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in just 14 games.
“The biggest value Stanton provides is his greatness in the postseason,” wrote Howell. “He outplayed almost every other Yankee during their run to the World Series last season. He showed nothing that would hint that he couldn’t do that for another team if they got him to the playoffs.”
“However, the Yankees might no longer need him thanks to the emergence of Ben Rice. When Stanton returns, Aaron Boone simply doesn’t have enough at-bats to go around, which makes Stanton potentially expendable.”
While Stanton is halfway to 40 and on the back nine of his career, he’s still a formidable hitter to have in the middle of any team’s lineup, so the Yankees could swing a deal for a starting pitcher from the Mariners or a few prospects to further develop the farm system. Either way, Howell believes it’s a deal Seattle should consider, given the circumstances of the franchise.
“The Mariners have never been to the World Series in franchise history,” Howell wrote.”This year’s team has a chance to make history, and the front office owes it to them and themselves to explore every available option on the market. If they find the right move, it could secure them a championship in October.”
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