With his clutch home run, Giancarlo Stanton once again shows that he is ready for October

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When something needs to be said, Giancarlo Stanton makes sure his voice is heard. He may not be the loudest or most bombastic in the room; In fact, he is one of the New York Yankees' most reserved players. But when he speaks at racket meetings, everyone knows he has to pay attention.

“His words mean something,” hitting coach James Rowson said. “He’s not just always talking. He will talk if something is important. This is how it works.

“I can tell you internally that he has a powerful voice and we love when he uses it because his experience brings a lot to our group.”

Stanton lets his bat do most of his talking. In moments when he had problems or faced an injury, he always took responsibility without hesitation. Still, he once remarked, “I'm not paid to be an upstanding guy or to say the right things. I'm here to contribute and help us win a championship.”

On Wednesday, he showed exactly why he is one of the highest-paid hitters in the MLB. In the fourth inning, Stanton launched a 114.1 mph screamer that hit the left-center field wall for an RBI double, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Four innings later, with the score tied at 2, he hit a massive solo home run over the left field wall. It was his 12th home run in just 30 postseason games for the Yankees, giving them a 3-2 lead. That was all the Yankees needed to secure Game 3 and take a 2-1 lead over the Kansas City Royals and set the stage for promotion to the American League Championship Series with a win on Thursday.

Stanton launched a 3-1 home run off Royals reliever Kris Bubic, but it was the 2-1 that started the silence that reigned at Kauffman Stadium moments later. Bubic delivered a slider that narrowly missed the bottom of the strike zone. Stanton tracked it into the glove of Royals catcher Salvador Pérez. On the next pitch, Pérez. signaled for a slider up-and-in, but Bubic missed his spot. It ended up in almost the same spot as the 2-1 slider. This time Stanton didn't let it pass.

“That’s what I came here for.” – @Giancarlo818 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vFUBxjzrzM

– New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 10, 2024

“It wasn’t a bad pitch,” Stanton said. “I just got in shape, was on time and was able to get it out.”

Hours before first pitch, Stanton was on the field taking early batting practice, with assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes operating the pitching machine and Rowson and relief coach Brad Ausmus watching from behind the cage. Between swings, Stanton, Rowson and Ausmus watched the video to make sure his mechanics were in sync.

When his batting practice was over, Stanton walked down the dugout steps to the clubhouse with a smile on his face. His teammates knew one of the most feared sluggers of this generation was ready to take off.

“From the first at-bat to the last, I could see how solid he was,” said Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. “He did his thing all day. Just by watching him cage training before the game, you could tell he was really busy with his work. I expected a big day from him.”

Stanton started Game 3 1-for-8 at the plate in the series, having managed to lift just one ball into the outfield in the first two games – his other outs came on ground balls and strikeouts. While he fired missiles, they remained on the ground, which was an unfortunate outcome given his lack of speed. Yankees manager Aaron Boone remained optimistic, believing Stanton's timing was just a minor error. He was right.

Throughout the season, much of the focus on the Yankees' offensive success has centered on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, who are often compared to the modern-day counterparts of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Judge hit 58 home runs; Soto, the best 41 player of his career. Stanton was largely the forgotten man. Stanton finished with a career-worst 86 wRC+ last year but rebounded with a 116 wRC+ this season. He's been the Yankees' third-best hitter this season, but at times he can be frustrating in a way that many other hitters aren't. He swings at pitches way off the plate and in the dirt. He won't lift the ball as often as his strength would require. He will cut over 30 percent of his record appearances.

“I don’t think he’s backing down,” Boone said The athlete. “He’s just a killer and mentally strong and doesn’t give up results. It doesn't concern him. When he goes up there and swings and looks terrible and everyone is screaming at him, he's so caught up mentally. I think that brings out the best in him because he knows what’s at stake.”

The is October.

The most surprising moment of Stanton's postseason career came in the sixth inning. After hitting a single, Stanton stole second base. It was his first stolen base in four years, stunning everyone in the Yankees dugout. First baseman Oswaldo Cabrera said Stanton's steal of a base sent a message to the entire team: He will do whatever it takes to win.

The win could cement Stanton's pinstripe legacy for eternity. Among all Yankees with at least 30 postseason games in franchise history, Stanton ranks fourth all-time with a .964 OPS. You know the other three by one name: Ruth, Gehrig, Reggie. What's missing from Stanton's resume is a title. That's the most important thing in the Bronx.

“There is no advantage to not being successful here, no matter the case,” Stanton said. “It’s always my job to do work and there are ups and downs, but here we are.”

(Photo: Ed Zurga/Getty Images)