Stanton's No. 1 offseason goal? Restore athleticism

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

NEW YORK -- It has been three months since Giancarlo Stanton stood in the center of the Yankees’ clubhouse, his lips pursed and his batting average hovering below the dreaded Mendoza Line. There would be significant work to do in the offseason.

“I can’t produce like this season, so it’s got to change,” Stanton said on Sept. 20.

Stanton’s plan to improve his performance centers around regaining athleticism, including trimming his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame. Stanton experienced mobility issues last season, especially during the second half, when he throttled his movements on the basepaths and in the field to guard against a lower-half injury.

“I think you’re going to see a leaner Giancarlo,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s always in great shape, but being at this point in his career, being a little lighter is going to be something that serves him well. I think it’s something he knows and wants to do.”

Stanton, 34, wrapped his sixth season with the Yanks batting a career-low .191, managing 24 homers and 60 RBIs in 101 games. He sustained a left hamstring strain on April 15 and did not return until early June; though Boone and others continued to hope that Stanton would catch an offensive hot streak, one never materialized.

A sense of the organization’s frustration on that topic bubbled through in November, when general manager Brian Cashman lauded Stanton as a great hitter when healthy but noted that Stanton “is going to wind up getting hurt again, more likely than not, because it seems to be part of his game.”

That remark prompted an air-clearing conversation between Cashman and Stanton’s agent, Joel Wolfe. With a full no-trade clause in place and approximately $98 million still due to be paid to Stanton by the Yankees over the next four years, it would serve both sides to keep their relationship amicable.

However, perhaps Cashman’s unvarnished take will provide a few additional ounces of motivation as Stanton performs his offseason training. Boone and Cashman declined to provide specifics on Stanton’s winter work.

With Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto set to man the Yanks’ outfield, plus Gold Glove Award winner Trent Grisham also on board, defensive innings project to be scarce for Stanton in 2024. Stanton’s most significant impact, as always, will be made with his bat.

However, Boone indicated that Stanton’s plan to trim weight should help him be “more athletic on the bases and not just an option in the outfield, but a good option in the outfield. I think that’s something important to him.”

“All I can tell you is, he is getting after it,” Boone said. “He’s always a very focused person and player. I would say that’s on overdrive to make sure he's in a really good spot heading into Spring Training. I think he's consumed with making sure that he goes out there and has a Giancarlo-like season. I think G’s got a big year in him, I really do.”