Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees' Slugger Addresses Ongoing Slump With Six-Word Message

Giancarlo Stanton kept it blunt when discussing his current form at the plate.

Grant Young

Aug 12, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts after striking out against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts after striking out against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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New York Yankees' slugger Giancarlo Stanton was activated from the injured list on July 29 after missing a month of action due to a strained left hamstring.

Since then, Stanton has a .191 batting average with a .633 OPS, 9 hits, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs, 4 runs scored, and 11 strikeouts over 13 games.

The 34-year-old went 0-for-4 during the Yankees' 4-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Stanton then spoke out about his current hitting form when speaking with the media postgame.

"Decent," Stanton said when asked about how he's feeling with his at-bats since returning from injury, per YES Network. "It could always be better."

The entire Yankees' offense went stagnant against the Tigers' starting pitcher Keider Montero, who pitched five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits, two walks, and tallying five strikeouts.

Montero entered Saturday's game with a 5.76 ERA. Yet, Stanton made it clear that him and his teammates are always expecting the best versions of the pitchers they're matched up against.

"He was mixing up well," Stanton said of Montero when asked what made the 24-year-old pitcher so tough on Saturday. "His heater also... the sinker and the four-seam. And yeah, good placement.

"You gotta expect that out of everybody," Stanton added of Montero's performance. "It's our job to control the zone and pound 'em, no matter what the previous ERA was."

While the Yankees are just 5-5 in their last 10 games, they still hold a one-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

Stanton's return to form would be a huge asset for New York as they continue pushing toward the playoffs.

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Grant Young

GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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