If there’s one person the New York Yankees can count on in October, it’s Giancarlo Stanton. Ever since he arrived in the Bronx, he’s been known for being locked in during the playoffs. This October has been no different.
Stanton has often struggled to stay healthy, which led to the Yankees deploying him strictly as a DH. His cold streaks in the regular season are frustrating. When he’s off, he’s way off. When he’s on, Stanton is someone who can carry his team offensively.
While he’s had plenty of big moments during the regular season, the postseason is when Stanton truly comes to life. When the calendar flips to October, he flips to beast mode.
Giancarlo Stanton shows he’s built for October
Stanton’s October stats are incredible. He has made it to the postseason six times with the Yankees and has produced each time. He has a 1.009 OPS in the postseason and is 32 for 115. In 32 career playoff games, Stanton has five doubles and 13 home runs. Only Babe Ruth hit more home runs per game played in postseason history than Stanton.
In the 2024 MLB playoffs, Stanton is slashing .368/.455/.789 through five games with 19 at-bats. He has seven hits, including two doubles and two home runs. He has five RBIs and has also walked three times. His OPS in the 2024 playoffs is 1.244.
The Yankees are up against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS. After a stellar performance in the ALDS, Stanton is continuing to show up in the ALCS. He added an insurance home run in the Yankees’ Game 1 win over the Guardians on Monday night.
When asked about what makes him so successful in the playoffs following Monday night’s game, Stanton expressed that he understands the importance of each moment while recognizing that he won’t always be successful.
Reggie Jackson is historically known as Mr. October for how clutch he was in the playoffs. Lately fans have started to wonder, is Stanton the new Mr. October?
Jackson won the World Series five times, three times with the Oakland Athletics and twice with the Yankees. Something missing from Stanton’s resume is a World Series ring. That could soon change.
The Yankees are on the cusp of their first World Series appearance since 2009. Stanton is doing everything he can to help get them there. He thrives in October. When the lights are the brightest, Stanton rises and shines.