Yankees fans rip Giancarlo Stanton to shreds for sloth-like baserunning

Hopes were high when the New York Yankees acquired outfielder Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins in 2018. The 34-year-old was a reigning National League MVP who had the ability to crush home runs like few others in Major League Baseball. Stanton's time in New York, however, has been mired by either poor health or poor play.

In 2023, Stanton posted career lows in batting average (.191) and OPS (.695) in 2023. The 2024 season was an opportunity for redemption, but Stanton began the season in disappointing fashion, striking out 13 times on his first 25 plate appearances with a .125 average and just one home run. Now that he isn't slugging balls out of the park as frequently, his issues with speed have only become more magnified. Stanton used to be able to round the bases at a sloth-like pace when he was crushing homers, but now he appears to be a liability on the bases.

The Yankees slugger has become sluggish, and it took center stage once again during the Yankees' game against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Giancarlo Stanton's lack of speed hurts Yankees once again

With a 1-0 deficit in the sixth inning, Stanton managed to crawl his way to first base. Then, he was forced out at second base, erasing what appeared to be a base hit for Austin Wells.

This isn't the first time that Stanton has come under fire for his speed. Running appeared to be a struggle for Stanton while he was nursing lower body injuries last year. It doesn't seem any better this season. Stanton runs like he's trying to prevent his lower body from exploding.

Stanton has a sprint speed of 24.8 feet per second, tying Atlanta Braves star Marcell Ozuna as one of the slowest players in the Majors. For speed from home plate to first base, Stanton's 5.05 feet per second is the second slowest in the league behind San Francisco Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores.

The 34-year-old hasn't played in more than 110 games in just two of his six seasons in New York. He missed time with injuries to his biceps, knee, quadriceps, hamstring, and calf. In 2023, Stanton missed nearly two months of the 2023 season with a strained hamstring.

The Yankees, who lead the American League East, began a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, who are one game behind New York. Only the Atlanta Braves have a better record than the two teams in the American League.

Yankees fans were unhappy with Stanton's speed