The Yankees cannot trade Giancarlo Stanton, nor should they. He has two more years left on his hefty contract, both of which are fully-guaranteed. When Stanton is healthy, he's one of the more iconic players in baseball. Stanton looks as though he was sculpted by Michelangelo himself. Unfortunately, Stanton's statuesque figure has been dropped a few times over. His most recent bout with injury – what the Yankees have described as tennis elbow – is more painful than it sounds.
"I can't open a bottle," Stanton said, per NJ.com's Randy Miller. "I can't open a bag of chips … a bag of anything. That's the way it is."
Giancarlo Stanton's injury is even worse than it seems
If Stanton is having that much trouble performing basic daily tasks, perhaps he should be on a delayed schedule, rather than with the Yankees in the Grapefruit League. Stanton has said he doesn't want to start the season on the injured list. However, if he cannot open a bag of chips, he probably can't pick up and swing a bat, either.
Stanton was particularly irked with the perception around his elbow injury.
"You get the surgery and you can go back to being in the general population in a few months, but my job is to put some of the most force into a batted ball. ... That's not going to be fixed in surgery, and I don't care what any doctor says because they don't know what's going on. What's written (about my elbows) is what me and the Yankees give you," Stanton continued.
In 77 games last season, Stanton hit 24 home runs and slashed .273/.350/.594. That's even more remarkable given what he's dealing with on a daily basis.
Do the Yankees have a way out with Giancarlo Stanton?
In short, not really! As much as the Yankees would prefer to have it one way or the other – either Stanton plays most of the season for a change, or they can find a trade suitor who believes he can – his contract is fully-guaranteed for the next two seasons. If New York were to trade him, they'd likely do so at a loss, voluntarily parting ways with one of the most important players in their lineup when healthy.
Season | AAV |
|---|---|
2026 | $19 million |
2027 | $15 million |
2028 | $15 million |
The 2028 season comes with a club option for Stanton, so the Yankees could decide to decline that, thus sending the then 38-year-old slugger to MLB free agency. But the point remains that for now, Stanton is a Yankee, and he isn't going anywhere. There are a few overarching reasons for this, but the most important cause is that Stanton has aired his grievances. What contender in their right mind would trade a real, productive asset to the Yankees for Stanton when they know he can't open a bag of chips?
Second, an overlooked detail of Stanton's comments deserves another eye. The man appears unwilling to get surgery even if it helps his injury in the long run. And his reasoning, despite medical opinions to the contrary, are because he believes he won't be able to hit as well post-procedure. That backs himself and the Yankees into a corner.
And most importantly, even if the Yankees wanted to trade Stanton elsewhere, he has a full no-trade clause. Thus, the Yankees cannot trade Stanton without his permission, and should he be up for such a maneuver, his value is a small percentage of what it once was if he's really hurting to this level.