Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton would like to add World Series title to his resume

TAMPA, Fla. – When it comes to winning a title, Giancarlo Stanton knows his time is running short.

“Yeah, I need to get it done,” the 33-year-old DH/outfielder said Tuesday.

But not just Stanton, whose impressive 13-year big-league resume, which includes the 2017 National League MVP, lacks a championship.

“At the same time, we need to get it done,” Stanton said of a Yankees’ franchise that hasn’t gotten it done in that regard since 2009. “So I think it's a goal for everybody. That's what I came here for, and that's what I'm here to achieve every year. And yeah, as the years go on, the pressure gets higher to get one.”

In Stanton’s time in the Bronx the Yankees have come up frustratingly short in the postseason. They lost to the Red Sox in four games in the American League Division Series in 2018 – Stanton’s first season with the Yankees – and fell to the Astros in six games in 2019 in the ALCS. A five-game ALDS loss to the Rays followed in 2020 and next came a loss to the Red Sox in the 2021 AL wild-card game. Last October brought a four-game sweep in the ALCS to the Astros.

Each of those seasons the Yankees thought they had the kind of team capable of advancing to the World Series but, for various reasons, each time they’ve gone home sooner than they expected.  

Stanton, it should be pointed out, has for the most part done his job in those respective postseasons. In 27 playoff games with the Yankees, Stanton has hit .260 with 11 homers, 24 RBIs and a .963 OPS.

When Stanton looks at the 2023 Yankees, he again sees a championship-caliber club.

“We're in a good spot. We have all the pieces to get it done,” Stanton said. “So we're laying the foundation [in spring training] and understand the ultimate goal is a championship. We haven't gotten there. So one day at a time. We’ll hit bumps in the road and we'll have good times (and bad times during the season), but it’ll set us up for October.”

Stanton, as has been the case since he’s been a Yankee, would like to see as much time in the field as he can but also knows a balance has to be struck to keep him healthy.

He was limited to 110 games last season, missing time from May 25-June 4 with right ankle inflammation and from July 24-Aug. 25 with left Achilles tendinitis. Stanton hit just .211 last season but did hit 31 homers.

“That's one of the biggest challenges. What is that right amount? What's the right amount, in a perfect world, where you're healthy, what's the right amount of outfield reps during the week?” Aaron Boone said of Stanton’s outfield workload. “I am of the belief that him playing in the outfield is good for his game. But I also think it's good for his health. I think it's also good that, when healthy, not just to DH. Now there are times in the course of the year that's what we have to do, he's not able to necessarily get out there [every day]. So we do what we have to do. Playing in the field, I think when healthy, gives him a better shot at staying healthy.”

Stanton’s healthiest season in pinstripes was his first one, 2018, when he hit 38 homers and played in 158 games. That came after a 59-homer season with the Marlins in 2017, the MVP year in which he played 159 games.

He smiled when asked about the challenges Aaron Judge will face coming off his 2022 that had him hit an AL-record 62 homers en route to winning the MVP and the best way to handle it.

“Not try to hit 62,” Stanton said. “Not even worry about it. Have no number set, just put good at-bats together, get the barrel to the ball and he can be in the ballpark [of 60] again.”