According to a report, New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton will make his debut this season for the franchise on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels.
The 35-year-old hitter has been sidelined for the Yankees for a long time due to an elbow injury. At one point it was said that he may require surgery and couldn’t play this year. However, he had a good recovery from the injury and will return for the Yankees at the midway point. This is great news for the Yankees as they are starting the Monday match with a 3 ½-game advantage in the American League East.
He has been an above-average performer in all of his big-league seasons. Last season, he hit .233/.298/.475 (114 OPS+) with 27 home runs in 114 games. He is just 81 home behind reaching the 500 for his career. When last time he was in the lineup, he played a key role for the New York team. He has also had a great postseason where he hit .273/.339/.709 with seven home runs and three doubles.
Ever since Stanton was put on the injured list, the Yankees have been using Ben Rice in the DH slot to fill his spot. Rice has given good returns for the Yankees with .227/.311/.460. The Yankees have publicly indicated that they could spot him sometime behind the plate.
Last week manager Aaron Boone told the reporters “This is a skilled catcher. He has demonstrated in his minor league career, this is a really good receiver. He’s got the skill set to do it. Just the role hasn’t been there yet here for him to do it. But I was really pleased with what I saw from him [Tuesday] night, albeit in just a couple innings.”
