Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton hit the injured list with a hamstring strain this week, adding to the injury woes of both New York and fantasy players. The injury could prove to be an opportunity for some fantasy owners, though, as Stanton should hold value despite a lengthy injury history.
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A Look at Stanton
After a solid start to the 2023 season, Yankees OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton hit the IL yet again. It’s become a familiar theme for the 33-year-old, who’s been on the IL for now five consecutive seasons and missed over a third of the Yankees’ regular-season contests in that span.
Through his first 13 games, Stanton hit .269/.296/.558 with four home runs, seven extra base hits, and 11 runs batted in. The 2017 NL MVP’s batting average was up over 50 points from his 2022 total (.211), and his Zone Contact (81.4%) and Whiff% (27.3%) were considerably better in the early goings.
The 2022 All-Star’s injury is a big blow for New York, for obvious reasons. The slugger is still among the league’s best in terms of power and ability to get on base, and his 30+ home run campaigns in both 2021-22 are proof of that. However, it will be a while before Yankees fans can see #27 back in The Bronx.
Stanton’s expected to miss four to six weeks thanks to the aforementioned hamstring strain, an injury he stated is “unacceptable” due to the fact that his injury will keep his potent bat out of the Yankees lineup over the coming weeks.
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Stanton isn’t the only notable Yankee currently on the shelf. Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodón are all on the IL, as are Josh Donaldson and fellow outfielder Harrison Bader. The former NL MVP injury problems, though, have put the prized outfielder in a tough position, both for the Yankees and in fantasy.
As things stand right now, Stanton is expected to miss at least the next month. That timeline would put him on a trajectory to comeback sometime during the first half of June, but that’s tentative. Considering Stanton’s injury history and potential setbacks, it’s not necessarily a given that the slugger can meet or even beat the timeline.
This hamstring issue also puts fantasy players in a bit of a bind — particularly if you have other players on the IL on the roster. While Stanton does hold plenty of value in fantasy, he can’t contribute on the field. Still, the risk is worth the reward with the five-time All-Star, namely because his ability to drive the ball can yield significant results in both H2H and roto leagues.
Given Stanton’s prodigious power potential, it would be wise to hold on to the 33-year-old for as long as possible. And if he’s dropped, snare and stash him. However, be forewarned about the risk that Stanton holds.
