Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

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Yankees scramble for DH solutions as Giancarlo Stanton questions linger

J.D. Martinez?

The New York Yankees currently don’t have a designated hitter. No one knows what’s going on with Giancarlo Stanton. But if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that Stanton missing the regular season wouldn’t be as bad as him potentially being unfit in October. So as long as the Yankees aren’t handling this like the Yankees, meaning, as long as they make sure he’s actually good for the postseason, we’re fine on that front.

Giancarlo Stanton misses 50+ games every year and then balls out when it matters most in October. Why do we have to freak out every time?
— Jeremy Siegel (@JerSiegs) February 24, 2025

Now, the next and most important question: who fills in?

Who can replace Giancarlo Stanton?

Giancarlo Stanton left the team last week to return to New York for what was initially reported as further testing on the tendonitis in both his elbows. That was followed by another classic case of the Yankees yanking it up, and now, with no timetable for his return, we’re forced to explore other options.

the sound of a Giancarlo Stanton homerun off the bat is exactly what we all need right now pic.twitter.com/NapWu2NNTp
— Ciarra ✨ (@ciarranotmist) February 26, 2025

Insider Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees have “had some contact” with free-agent designated hitter J.D. Martinez, formerly of the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets. But their belief that Stanton will return complicates that possibility since both players are, at this stage in their careers, limited to DH-only roles.

Someone like Martinez would likely be willing to sign at a reasonable price on a one-year deal. He hit 16 home runs with a 108 wRC+ last season with the Mets, making him a serviceable short-term solution.

Internally, the Yankees could shuffle their outfield, move the defensively struggling Jasson Dominguez into Stanton’s DH role, and figure out another left-field option (maybe Alex Verdugo) in the meantime. Regardless of what Boone decides to do, this situation is a complete mess. Meanwhile, Dominic Smith and Ben Rice are battling it out for reps at the position in Spring Training.

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The only real positive here is Aaron Judge getting more DH time, which means better workload management. He’ll still be in his preferred right-field spot this year, with Cody Bellinger and Dominguez expected to switch around between left and center.

A bizarre and slightly rushed option would be the Yankees calling up Spencer Jones, but that’s heavily unlikely given his development needs. Jones struck out 200 times in 544 plate appearances in Double-A last season, though he did record 17 home runs and 25 stolen bases.

For now, the Yankees are likely to distribute Stanton’s at-bats among Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, and D.J. LeMahieu as they evaluate their options for the upcoming season.

Everything depends on how available Stanton actually is. If the Yankees believe he’ll be back by May or June, then carrying two full-time DHs makes no sense. If he’s out for the first half of the season, though, then this conversation becomes much more serious. The lack of a market for J.D. Martinez works in the Yankees’ favor – none of the teams that could use him seem too eager to spend money on a DH right now.

The Yankees are running out of time, and sooner or later, they’ll have to make a call. Whether it’s Martinez, Dominguez, or a left-field shuffle, the longer Stanton’s status remains unclear, the bigger this problem becomes.

Giancarlo Stanton

New York Yankees

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.