Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton Aiming to Be 'Wrecking Ball' Sans Aaron Judge, Boone Says

With Aaron Judge sideline for the foreseeable future, Giancarlo Stanton feels that he is ready to carry the load for the Bronx Bombers.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that his slugger did feel the responsibility and that he is ready to tackle it with tenacity.

Judge went down with a toe injury after crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium, and could return at the end of the month. However, the Yankees captain has acknowledged that his injury could take 'years to heal'.

To replace Judge's significant production, Stanton will have to live up to his $32 million salary and then some. Stanton is hitting .199 with seven home runs and 20 RBI's in 39 games in 2023, which is well below Judge's 2023 marks of .291, 19 and 40 marks in 49 games.

Still, that doesn't mean that Stanton can't do it. He won the 2017 NL MVP with a .281 average with 59 home runs and 131 RBI's, and hit 31 home runs in 2022 with New York. He has shown the power and production throughout his career, and has been vocal about his personal frustration with his performance.

Still, the Yankees need a huge effort from Stanton. They team has a solid 49-41 record, but that is only good enough to be tied for third in the AL East. They also currently are tied for the final wild card spot and are 7.5 games behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays.