WFAN Host Blasts Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton: ‘He’s Just Not a Baseball Player’

The New York Yankees dropped their series opener on Monday night against the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 2-0. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton was thrown out at second base from right field, which took a hit away from catcher Austin Wells. WFAN host Sal Licata ripped into Stanton after this latest adventure on the bases.

Here’s a look at the play that sent Licata into a rant, via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch on X (formerly Twitter):

“He’s just not a baseball player. They gotta move on from Stanton,” Licata said via Audacy. “Stanton is a major problem. He can’t do anything! He is a liability! He is going to run into some fastballs and hit some home runs sometimes — great. The Yankees don’t need that. They need a ballplayer. They need some flexibility at that position … he’s on the basepaths, he’s a liability. He can’t play a position, and he clogs up the DH spot. He is a liability.”

Licata’s midday co-host Brandon Tierney agreed, saying “He is a massive issue. The roster construction is not where it needs to be.”

Stanton Is Still a One-Dimensional Player for the Yankees

Stanton’s physical transformation was one of the bigger stories coming into Spring Training for the Yankees. He looked so different that former Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon was ready to bet the under on the slugger’s 2024 over/under number for home runs.

Stanton’s 408 career homers are the most among active players. He’s already slugged six this year, which has been accompanied by a .223/.286/.447 line and 16 RBI in 112 plate appearances. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but they’re looking better than his 2023 production. Across 415 trips to the plate, Stanton hit .191/.275/.420 with 24 homers and 60 RBI.

During Spring Training, NJ.com’s Randy Miller reported that manager Aaron Boone expected the slugger to be “more athletic. Being more of a presence running the bases. More of a realistic option in the field.”

That hasn’t been the case so far in 2024. All 26 of his games played have come as New York’s designated hitter, per Baseball-Reference. His base running has also gone viral (for the wrong reasons) more than once. Here’s how he looked scoring from second base against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 16:

The Yankees Are Stuck With Stanton & His Contract

It seems like Stanton isn’t a perfect fit for the Yankees’ roster. However, New York is stuck with him for the time being. Upon acquiring him from the Miami Marlins before the 2018 season, they inherited his 13-year, $325 million contract.

Stanton has four years left on his current deal (counting 2024), which includes a no-trade clause. The Yankees aren’t on the hook for all of the remaining $118 million. Miami will also kick in a total of $30 million, per Spotrac.

However, it’s enough to potentially force general manager Brian Cashman to make a tough decision if things don’t get better. The organization was likely hoping for a rebound campaign from Stanton in 2024 so this question didn’t have to get asked again seriously. But just one month into the regular season, the situation is already rearing its ugly head.