Yankees hot stove serves up Giancarlo Stanton rumors

Giancarlo Stanton popped up in the rumor mill this week as Nick Carfado of the Boston Globe noted that there might be rumblings in the Yankees’ front office about a number of Stanton issues – his lukewarm postseason, massive contract and then there’s the possibility the Yankees may want to make room for Manny Machado and Bryce Harper.

Stanton is a still hot commodity who had very solid numbers in 2018, and has projections from Steamer of small increases in numbers in 2019, though his average will stay essentially the same at .266.

As the designated hitter, Stanton is projected to see an increase in home runs from 38 to 42 and an increase in RBIs from 100 to 102. In other words, Stanton will continue to solidify his role as a power hitter in a power hitting lineup, while also projecting to increase his OPS from 0.852 to 0.921 in 2019.

Steamer projects more home runs and better on-base numbers for Stanton, combined with fewer strikeouts. Stanton had a career-high 211 strikeouts in 2018 and is projected to lower that number to 163 in 2019.

Stanton’s value only increases in 2019 and Dakota Randall of NESN.com speculates that teams such as the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants could make a big move to bolster their offense with an acquisition like Stanton and with $260M remaining on his contract over the next 10 years, he would be a less expensive option than either Machado or Harper.

There are going to be some changes and additions, there always is, We need to win the division.Hal Steinbrenner after the Boston Red Sox won the World Series

It would indeed be a blockbuster that would see Stanton traded and would certainly be a measure of the kind of “change” the Yankees front office envisions for 2019 as a means of winning the division and number 28.