Giancarlo

Stanton

Yankees manager Aaron Boone will not make any changes with New York facing Blue Jays rookie sensation Trey Yesavage following a lopsided series-opening defeat earlier this weekend. Here’s the full lineup: Trent Grisham (CF), Judge (RF), Cody Bellinger (LF), Ben Rice (1B), Giancarlo Stanton (DH), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (3B), Ryan McMahon (3B), Anthony Volpe (SS) and Austin Wells (C).

Like clockwork, Stanton is red-hot just in time for the postseason. He smacked his first home run to put his Yankees on top in the first inning and then demolished a 451 foot no-doubter two frames later. On a per at-bat basis, he’s been one of the best hitters in baseball season with a .926 OPS and 23 long balls in just 242 AB. That’s better than a 50-homer pace for the 35-year-old slugger who still clearly has a lot left in the tank.

Stanton came up with the bases loaded in the fifth inning and hit a ground ball past the third baseman. The 35-year-old DH has 10 RBI over his last seven games. Stanton is hitting .264 with a .901 OPS and 59 RBI this year.

Stanton capped off the scoring in the ballgame with a two-run double in the seventh inning that extended the Yankees’ lead to 7-0. He continues to be extremely productive in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup, slashing .270/.340/.572 with 20 homers and 53 RBI in just 222 plate appearances.

Stanton plated Aaron Judge with a sacrifice fly in the top half of the first inning to increase the Yankees’ early lead to 2-0. He then capped off a four-run second inning with an RBI single. The 35-year-old slugger is having a terrific season, slashing .271/.342/.573 with 20 homers and 51 RBI in only 244 plate appearances.

Judge finds himself in right field for back-to-back contests for the second time since returning from the injured list back in early August. The additional time in the outfield should open up some additional at-bats at DH for Giancarlo Stanton, although he’s been mired in a bit of a slump lately.

This will be Judge’s first time playing back-to-back days in the field since returning from the injured list with his elbow injury. If Judge is able to settle in as the regular right fielder again, that will open up DH at-bats for Giancarlo Stanton again and possibly create more playing time for Jasson Dominguez or Paul Goldschmidt, who have shifted into more part-time roles.

Stanton did his damage in the third inning, crushing a 3-2 slider from Sawyer Gipson-Long for a 429-foot (108.9 mph EV) solo shot that increased the Yankees’ advantage to 5-1. That would be Stanton’s only hit in five at-bats on the evening while striking out three times. For the season, the 35-year-old slugger is hitting an impactful .271/.345/.596 with 20 homers and 49 RBI in only 203 plate appearances. It’s the 14th time in his career — and the fifth consecutive season — in which Stanton has clubbed 20 or more long balls.

Judge finds himself back in right field for the third time in the last four contests, which is a welcome development for fantasy managers rostering veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who is in the lineup at DH for the second straight game.

It’s his second appearance back in the outfield over the last three games. Judge still has to answer some questions from a defensive standpoint concerning his throwing ability as he continues to work his way back to full strength from an elbow issue. However, the Yankees appear committed to giving him chances to play in right field again, which helps get veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s bat in the lineup at DH on a more consistent basis.