Yankees GM has brutal admission about Giancarlo Stanton

Oct 7, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) looks on during pre game batting practice before game three of the 2019 ALDS playoff baseball series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman offered up a rather pessimistic assessment of Giancarlo Stanton’s ability to stay healthy moving forward.

Cashman admitted in a media availability that Stanton has to be characterized as injury-prone at this point in his career, and that the Yankees have no choice but to plan around that.

“We try to limit the time he’s down,” Cashman said, via Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. “But I’m not gonna tell you he’s gonna play every game next year because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game. But I know that when he’s right and healthy — other than this past year — the guy’s a great hitter and has been for a long time.”

As brutal as Cashman’s comments are, they are probably correct. Stanton played 158 games for the Yankees in 2018, his first season with the team. Since then, he has never played more than 139 games in a season, and was limited to 101 last year due to various issues.

The Yankees will find a way to manage Stanton’s injuries as long as he produces when healthy. That did not happen last year, as he hit just .191 with 24 home runs, and looked very alarming at times physically.