The New York Yankees have started the season well, and they'll be looking to continue their strong play against the Seattle Mariners. In hopes of keeping their players fresh early, Giancarlo Stanton will not be in the lineup for the game, and manager Aaron Boone explained why.
“This is the day we had marked with him, that he and I talked about a few days ago. We just want to stay disciplined to that and be smart here … it doesn't mean he won't have the most important at-bat today,” Boone said via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
This will be Stanton's first day off of the season after picking up two hits in the first five games. The Yankees are going to need Stanton for the season if they want to keep having success, so giving him rest days will be key for him.
After their recent win against the Mariners, Stanton spoke about the adjustments he's made to play well to start this season.
“I might have changed my stance the most out of anyone I've seen,” Stanton said. “You know, I'm always tinkering, always trying to get better, always trying to feel better, and be on time as much as I can to adjust.”
Max Fried also sees the changes in Stanton's game and is not surprised by how he's playing.
“[Stanton] has been one of the best hitters in the game for a long time,” Fried said via Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “To see him healthy and out there and ready to do damage, it’s not a fun at-bat when you’re up there facing him. So when he’s locked in like this, I’m really glad I’m on this side, not the other side.”
It will be interesting to see how much the Yankees decide to rest Stanton as the season continues.
