While the New York Yankees enjoyed yet another successful and impressive season, only to lose in the playoffs again, 2018 just did not have a signature Yankees feel to it. While riding the offensive performances of the smash brothers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, other elements of the franchise seemingly did not go how they needed to in order to extend their stay in the playoffs.
Stanton, who did his part by mashing 38 home runs and 100 RBIs, seemingly did not have as good of a season as his stats may predict. His RBI totals were down from 2017, as were his home runs, as he hit 59 long balls and knocked in 132 runs in his final season with the Marlins.
2018 was not as forgiving to Stanton, but Aaron Boone and company should expect to see Stanton’s number increase again this season for a few reasons, as he now has more offensive firepower to help shoulder the load besides Judge.
In any player’s first season with a new club, the pressure and spotlight are both shined extremely bright on the new player and he is under mogyre pressure to live up to the move that the team made in acquiring him. While everyone knows how ruthless loyal Yankees fans can be, Stanton came into the pinstripe part of the country with a huge contract to play out, as his deal runs all the way through 2028.
Stanton does have a player opt-out option in 2020 that he could use, but it is hard seeing a contract being on the table from another franchise that looks sweeter than the one that he signed with the then-Florida Marlins all the way back on Nov. 17 of 2014.
At the time, his 13-year, $325 million deal was a monstrosity for the Marlins to take on, but with their young core in place, the only way they could win was by planning for the future and by locking up key franchise cornerstones now, which is why Stanton received the monster deal.
Flash forward to present day and his contract fits nicely at the top of the payroll chart for the Yankees, as they are one of the biggest spending franchises year in and year out in the MLB, never failing to be over the luxury tax threshold. Paying for titles is their mantra, something that probably is posted somewhere in the front office or locker rooms as a reminder why they consistently remain in the playoff picture come August, September, and October.
For the first time in what feels like decades, the Yankees are actually underneath the luxury tax, and by a good margin. At the current stage of the offseason, the team holds a $184+ million payroll, around $20 million underneath the 2019 threshold, which will be at $206 million.
With that much financial flexibility, topped with Stanton’s contract actually looking good compared to some others on the team (Ellsbury), and he is primed and ready for a bounce-back season in 2019. Albeit not having far to go in order to bounce back, Stanton’s offensive production took a hit last season and is due for an uptick.
Having dealt with the pressure from the spotlight of playing for one of the most storied franchises in MLB history, Stanton can now rely on his fellow members of the starting nine to mash their way to a victory. This is one of the best Yankees teams in a while, finally having a rounded-out bullpen and a solid rotation to combine with a great offensive approach and an evolving defensive outlook.
With Judge bursting onto the scene recently too, he and Stanton form what is arguably the best 1-2 offensive strength in any lineup for any team. Other teams may be able to single and double you to death, but knowing that at any point both of them could go yard makes opposing pitching staffs that much more worried about their approaches.
The only caveat with Judge is his injury history, as he only played in 112 games last season, starting 108. Having Judge out of the lineup takes away any protection Stanton may have had, as staffs could then pitch around him to get to the Greg Bird’s of the lineup.
The offseason was a time that the team addressed that issue though, shoring up their defense while also adding an offensive punch up the middle, as the former middle infielder core of Troy Tulowitzki and D.J. LeMahieu were both brought into the fold.
While Tulo is on his last legs, he still can offer a veteran presence, which the team needs. LeMahieu is a few years removed from his batting title, so not playing in hitter-friendly Coors Field will take a few points off the average, but he will develop a truer swing that helps him work the ball into gaps and alleys in the Bronx.
Even though numbers of .266/.343/.509 are not bad, the 211 strikeouts and only 70 walks do stand out as not Stanton-like numbers. In his career-best year in 2017 with the Marlins, a line of .283/.377/.633 is a stark reminder of what kind of player Stanton should be every year and what he was not in 2018.
Stanton should easily be able to get back to the 45 home run plateau, especially if he, Judge, and LeMahieu remain healthy through the vast majority of the season and into the playoffs. Concerning driving runs in, he could easily surpass his career-best of 132, landing somewhere around 145-148 once the regular season concludes.
Becoming a better hitter also involves becoming more patient, something that has kind of plagued Stanton but should also improve this season. His highest walks number of 94 was achieved in 2014, and while he will not set a new record in that regard, he should improve upon last seasons below average mark of 70.
Stanton is one of the few players that can keep improving every season, even from a mark of 38 home runs, provided his health does not become a factor. Going into his 10th season, the 29-year-old will be a full-time designated hitter, something that will also help keep him healthy and ultimately result in the team reaping benefits from yet another impressive season from Stanton.
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