Giancarlo Stanton sends 5-word message after 451-ft moonshot as Yankees star fuels unthinkable MVP case

Giancarlo Stanton is rolling back the years as the veteran New York Yankees slugger has been carrying the offense for the last few games, sparking MVP talks.

The Yankees were without Stanton for the majority of the first half of the season as last year's ALCS MVP was dealing with tendinitis in his elbows. However, since his return to the lineup, the veteran slugger has been hot at the plate.

Stanton contributed all five runs in the Yankees' 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. His five-RBI game included a 451-foot homer in the sixth inning.

After helping the Yankees to a third consecutive win, Stanton dropped a five-word message in his Instagram story.

"Thank you for the experience," Stanton captioned his story featuring his moonshot from the game.

While New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge carried the offense with his remarkable hitting in the first half of the season, Giancarlo Stanton has been red-hot since July.

Since the All-Star break, Stanton is hitting .362, going 34-for-94 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs in 30 games. The All-Star slugger has seven home runs in his last 11 games, a form that has sparked unlikely MVP chatter.

Giancarlo Stanton enjoying outfield role as Aaron Judge continues his recovery

Two-time MVP Aaron Judge hasn't been the same since his right flexor strain, which has kept him in a restricted role as a designated hitter. Giancarlo Stanton has been moved to right field to cover the Yankees captain and the veteran slugger is relishing his role in the outfield.

“It's been fun being able to contribute on both sides,” Stanton said. “I’m just making sure I’m mentally prepared for all scenarios when the ball is hit towards me.”

A fit Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton could blow opposition pitching staffs, and first-year Yankee Cody Bellinger acknowledged that after Tuesday's game.

“Stanton's locked in,’’ Bellinger said. “He hits the ball harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. It’s fun to watch. He and Judge can do things offensively that not many guys can do.”

The Yankees have three consecutive wins, bouncing back from three consecutive defeats against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. The Bronx Bombers are keeping up with their rivals who hold a 0.5-game advantage in the AL Wild Card race.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash