Giancarlo Stanton was in the Yankees’ starting lineup for the 82nd game in a row on Wednesday night.
NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone wrote Giancarlo Stanton’s name in his lineup again Wednesday as his starter in right field for a series finale against the Chicago White Sox on a 92-degree day at Yankee Stadium.
The night before, Stanton was in right field for all nine innings for a Yankees’ 5-4 win on a 96-degree night.
Last weekend, Stanton played four games in three days in Baltimore.
See a trend here?
Stanton’s start on Wednesday was his 131st in 133 games, including 82nd in a row since he sat out the opener of a series opener against the Houston Astros on May 28.
That was almost three full months ago!
Every other Yankees player has had more time off this season and Stanton has played every game the the last few weeks while dealing with a tight hamstring that has frequently forced him to strictly be a designated hitter during a time in which All-Star right fielder Aaron Judge is on the DL with a broken wrist.
So why no rest for Stanton, who recently has gone from a prolonged hot streak to slumping.
Here’s what Boone had to say Wednesday when we asked:
“One of the things I look at with Giancarlo is that we do use that DH with him so much that I do feel like hopefully all of those that he has had add up a little bit and make it not such a wear and tear of that where he’s playing every single day like he has.
“But it is something that I’m mindful of that I talk to him a lot about. It’s just been tough lately just with our situation and how beat up we are and how productive he’s been even though he’s struggled a little bit the last few games.
“He’s been one of those guys that’s really hard to get out of there, especially when I can roll him out in a DH form where you don’t feel like you’re beating him down so much.”
Although not repeating his 2017 NL MVP season, one in which he hit 59 homers playing for the Miami Marlins, Stanton has overcome a slow start to put up good numbers as a new Yankee. Through Tuesday, he was batting .277 with a team-best 32 homers and team-high 82 RBI in 131 games.
Stanton, however, went into Wednesday with just two hits in 32 at-bats over his last six games and he’s been stuck on 299 career homers for nine games, although he was robbed of one in Baltimore when Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins made a leaping catch with his glove over the wall.
Is Stanton tiring?
“I feel like physically he’s good,” Boone said. “He’s strong. I think the thing that I monitor with him all the time is just his leg (with his tight left hamstring). I think he’s done a great job of managing it and it’s a conversation he and I have kind of before and after every (game) just to see where he’s at as I start to put the lineup together.
“The night before I’m kind of always checking with him and there may be a day here before long where I do pick a day and try to get him off completely, maybe around an off day … because we want to preserve him and keep him strong as best we can for the stretch run, too.
“But obviously these are really important games and it’s tough to sit guys right now especially when we’re a little bit beat up.”
Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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