Giancarlo Stanton Remained on Bench for Yankees' Wild Card Series Sweep
Despite being activated for the series against the Red Sox, the slugger did not appear in any games.
Giancarlo Stanton was available on the bench with a bat in hand for the New York Yankees during their American League wild-card series win over the Boston Red Sox, but he did not enter any of the games. The Yankees completed a sweep of the Red Sox on Wednesday night with a 9-2 victory.
Stanton, who had been sidelined for more than five months with three different calf strains, was added to the roster for the series. He was intended as a potential pinch-hitting option against the Red Sox's left-handed pitchers. However, the Yankees managed to secure their victories without utilizing him.
In the sixth inning of Wednesday's game, when the Red Sox brought in left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet, it appeared Stanton might get an opportunity. However, manager Aaron Boone opted to stick with his left-handed hitters, a decision that proved effective as Spencer Jones, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Trent Grisham contributed to a six-run rally against Crochet.
During Game 1 of the series, Boone considered using Stanton to lead off the seventh inning against left-handed reliever Alec Gamboa. He ultimately decided against it, allowing Jones to start a rally instead. "Hopefully the threat that he is can play a factor for us in this series," Boone had said before Game 1.
It remains uncertain whether Stanton will be included on the roster for the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The decision may be influenced by the potential return of Aaron Judge, who is also recovering from a calf strain. The Yankees may also need to adjust their roster balance, having carried 16 position players and 10 pitchers for the wild-card round.
In other roster news, Clarke Schmidt, who returned from Tommy John surgery for one game before being placed on the injured list again with right biceps neuritis, will miss the remainder of the postseason. Ryan Weathers, recovering from a left forearm flexor strain, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and remains a possibility for the ALDS roster.