Throughout his big league career, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has been no stranger to stints on the injured list. And the 33-year-old has apparently had enough of it.
Stanton, currently on the IL with a strained left hamstring, expressed frustration with his inability to remain on the field to reporters on Thursday, calling his latest ailment “unacceptable.”
“It’s unacceptable [being injured] this often right now,” Stanton said, per ESPN. “The team relies on me. I can’t have this continue to happen and put us in a really tough spot we weren’t prepared for. There are guys to fill the roles that’ll do just fine but at the same time, it’s my duty and responsibility to be out there.”
Stanton, 33, joined the Yankees in 2018 fresh off a season in which he hit 59 home runs for the Marlins and won the National League MVP award. After playing in 158 games in his first year in pinstripes, he’s had difficulty staying healthy. Over the past five seasons, Stanton has appeared in 303 out of a possible 578 regular season games (52.4%).
While acknowledging Stanton’s disappointment, Yankees manager Aaron Boone defended his preparedness, and looked forward to getting him back into the lineup as soon as possible.
“The one thing I can say in Giancarlo’s case is I don’t question his professionalism and his commitment to doing all he needs to do to stay healthy and to be healthy,” Boone said Thursday. “So there’s clearly that frustration, and Giancarlo feels that responsibility. He feels a responsibility to this team and to this organization to be the great player that he is, but to be able to do it more and more often.”
