Giancarlo Stanton’s rise to his present place as one of the crucial feared and revered hitters within the large leagues hasn’t been linear. He has had unimaginable highs but in addition needed to combat by way of the adversity that comes with accidents. Throughout 16 Main League seasons, although, his work ethic and resiliency have endured. Stanton’s cumulative statistics, specifically his 453 house runs — probably the most of any energetic participant — have him on a Corridor of Fame trajectory.
The 35-year-old’s regular-season accomplishments are many. He gained the 2017 Nationwide League MVP after hitting 59 house runs in his ultimate season with the Miami Marlins, and in a return to his hometown of Los Angeles, he earned the 2022 All-Star Sport MVP Award after crushing a pitch from Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin into the left-field seats at Dodger Stadium.
However for all of Stanton’s success through the common season, his October heroics have been much more awe-inspiring. Beginning with a homer in his postseason debut — a 7-2 Yankees win over the A’s within the 2018 American League Wild Card Sport — Stanton has totaled 18 roundtrippers and 40 RBIs in 41 playoff video games, together with seven lengthy balls through the Yankees’ postseason run to the World Collection final yr.
In three highway video games through the 2024 ALCS, Stanton hit three pivotal homers. His sixth-inning blast in Sport 4 gave the Yankees a 6-2 lead in opposition to the Guardians, and he tied the decisive Sport 5 the following evening with a two-run shot within the sixth, a part of a stretch that led to him incomes ALCS MVP honors.
A profession .258 hitter with 1,169 RBIs, Stanton started this season on the injured checklist however made up for misplaced time upon returning to the lineup in mid-June. The DH and outfielder’s 20 house runs by way of mid-September contributed mightily to the Yankees’ push for a seventh postseason berth in his eight seasons in pinstripes.
Throughout a September interview with Yankees Journal editor-in-chief Alfred Santasiere III at Yankee Stadium, Stanton spoke about a number of subjects, together with his psychological method within the greatest moments in addition to his efficiency this season.
Yankees Journal: A number of of your seven postseason house runs final yr got here in essential moments. How a lot of an emotional enhance do you’re feeling these blasts gave your group?
Giancarlo Stanton: Residence runs are large blows in any recreation. However within the postseason, I really feel just like the vitality shifts that come from a house run late in a recreation are monumental. Any time you’re ready to try this within the late innings of a playoff recreation, it modifications the ambiance in your dugout and in addition within the different group’s dugout.
YM: If you hit your first house run of the 2024 postseason in Sport 3 of the ALDS in opposition to Kansas Metropolis, Ron Darling, who was saying the sport for TBS, stated this: “Within the postseason, when it’s so exhausting to know who to depend on, Stanton is a man who you possibly can all the time depend on to have good at-bats and provide large hits.” What does it imply to have garnered such a excessive degree of respect as the results of coming by way of time and time once more when it issues most?
GS: It’s very cool, and greater than that, it’s crucial for me. Particularly since I wasn’t in a position to carry out a number of these years through the common season, it’s the very best I might do with what I had. I’m comfortable that I might do these issues at an important occasions. There’s an added emphasis on taking part in effectively within the postseason due to the accidents which have prevented me from being on the sphere at occasions through the common season.
YM: It looks as if you’ve had razor-sharp focus within the greatest video games throughout your time with the Yankees. How have you ever been ready to try this?
GS: Determining within the hours earlier than 7 o’clock the best way to have full silence when it’s a must to carry out has been a giant a part of it. The important thing to being profitable in probably the most pressure-packed moments when the noise is at its loudest is to be calm sufficient that you might go to sleep. I get rid of every little thing that you simply placed on your self. Strain is actual, however the quantity of it’s what you create your self. Once I figured that out and acquired to a spot the place I used to be solely centered on the pitcher I used to be dealing with, a number of good issues adopted. All the different issues — the 50,000 followers within the ballpark, the win-or-go-home situation — that’s all a part of the truth, however it doesn’t assist my focus within the second. So, it’s a must to simply get rid of all of that, and deal with doing harm and making an impression in that at-bat. Discovering simplicity in probably the most difficult second is an important factor I’ve discovered to do.
YM: Can you level to a particular time in your profession once you have been in a position to shut down the skin noise in these large moments and actually focus?
GS: There are completely different occasions in your profession that you simply outline as studying experiences. The general studying expertise for me has been about how I’ve handled what I’ve on every particular day. On some days, you’ll get extra irritated with issues that don’t matter. Your focus goes to be extra relaxed at occasions, whether or not it’s within the postseason, on Opening Day or the center of August. You’re not all the time going to really feel the identical.
YM: After just about carrying your group by way of the ALCS, how would you describe the expertise of standing on the stage in Cleveland and hoisting the American League championship trophy and the collection MVP Award?
GS: It was surreal. With the ability to have fun with my teammates and coaches on the highway was superior. In addition to a small variety of followers in that stadium, we have been the one ones pulling for our group in your entire metropolis of Cleveland. That was one thing that pulled us nearer. I had by no means gone that far within the postseason, and with the Mets and Dodgers nonetheless taking part in one another within the NLCS, I used to be excited for both opponent within the World Collection. We have been both going to get a Subway Collection, or I used to be going to be taking part in within the World Collection the place I grew up in Los Angeles. And, in fact, it’s the freaking World Collection!
YM: Amongst your accomplishments thus far, you’re the energetic house run chief. If I informed a 20-year-old Giancarlo Stanton that that is the place he’d be at 35, what do you suppose you’d have stated again in your rookie season of 2010?
GS: At that time, to be trustworthy — with out sounding cocky — I felt like if I put my thoughts to it, that is the place I may very well be. If you happen to had requested me that once I was within the Minors, I might not have been as assured. There have been a number of “what ifs.” I needed to determine issues out. However as soon as I acquired a style of the large leagues and I noticed how guys labored and what I wanted to do, I felt like I might accomplish some nice issues. You all the time need to envision probably the most and check your capabilities.
YM: How would you describe the journey up to now?
GS: Rise up and hold pushing. I’ve been stopped in my tracks a number of occasions, and I’ve needed to begin from scratch in a approach. There have been occasions the place I went from rolling alongside to being in a spot the place strolling was my greatest motion for that day. However I’ve all the time saved pushing.
YM: Have these tough occasions made the highs extra satisfying?
GS: Effectively, I might say that they’ve made the nice moments extra vital. They’ve made it extra vital for me to come back by way of within the large playoff moments due to my want to be environment friendly and to get one thing productive out of all of the exhausting work to come back again from accidents.
YM: What has this season been like for you?
GS: Similar to the previous couple of years. I missed a couple of months, after which got here out and have been productive. I’ve helped the group win through the division race, and that feels good. I by no means need to use any excuses like not having a Spring Coaching. I’ve already misplaced a number of time, so I simply need to be as environment friendly as I may be.
YM: Talking of this season, there have been so many new gamers who’ve come by way of, in addition to guys resembling you and Aaron Choose. What are you able to say in regards to the make-up of this group?
GS: Yearly is a brand new mesh of gamers in addition to ups and downs. We’ve been up, and we’ve been down, however we actually have battled all season. The way you get the very best stream on and off the sphere is de facto vital. That’s a enjoyable grind in and of itself. We’ve an awesome group, and I’m trying ahead to being within the postseason with these guys. We’ve guys who’re motivated from dropping the World Collection final yr, and we’ve got new vitality.
YM: You might have a uncommon set of cumulative statistics, in addition to so many singular accomplishments. With a physique of labor just like a number of Corridor of Famers and with extra time left in your profession, is Cooperstown one thing you let your self take into consideration?
GS: It’s extra about what the media decides, and they’ll debate it till the cows come house. I attempt to go day-to-day, and when it’s all stated and carried out, there will likely be a call. If I hit two house runs right now, I’m getting in, but when I am going 0-for-4 tomorrow, everybody will likely be writing that I’m not. However I’m OK with all of that; I perceive that it’s a part of the sport.
YM: What would getting inducted into the Corridor of Fame imply to you?
GS: It might be a tremendous and fantastic factor. I’m working exhausting to be the very best I may be, and if I get in, it could be a results of all of the exhausting work. That might be fairly particular.
This interview has been edited for readability and size.
Alfred Santasiere III is the editor-in-chief of Yankees Journal. This story seems within the October 2025 version. Get extra articles like this delivered to the doorstep by buying a subscription to Yankees Journal at www.yankees.com/publications.
