Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Friday’s loss to the Orioles, dropping his OPS to just .502 since returning from the IL with an Achilles issue.
Stanton has consistently seemed to need more time to get his timing back after IL stints, though he has now been back for 27 games, and his struggles seem to have gotten worse. Over his last 11 games, Stanton is batting .114 with a .438 OPS and 24 strikeouts in 48 plate appearances.
Aaron Boone says it is still more of an issue of timing rather than lingering discomfort from his Achilles injury.
“I don’t know, I think it’s a little bit of a timing thing,” Boone said. “I wouldn’t say it’s Achilles. He’s fouled balls off his feet. It’s just that lower half. He’s unique in how he gets ready and to fire and everything. I hope it’s still just a timing thing that he’s working through.”
The Yankees will need Stanton right if they are to have success in the postseason, and Stanton has been one of their top playoff performers in recent years. But even Boone can’t sugarcoat the fact that one of his most important sluggers is really going through it at the plate.
“I think he’s been a little bit off, in one of those stretches right now where he’s struggling to find it,” Boone said. “He has had some good at-bats sprinkled in there, but right now, I think he’s struggling a bit.”
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