ARLINGTON, Texas — After homering on Saturday, Giancarlo Stanton said it would take more than one swing or one game to feel like he was fully back on track offensively.
Monday marked another step in that direction.
Stanton crushed a home run in his second straight game and added a pair of walks in the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Field.
“I had good at-bats from start to finish, felt comfortable seeing it well, so good build off of last game,” said Stanton, who sat out Sunday’s game in The Bronx.
Stanton had been struggling since coming back from Achilles tendinitis and then fouling a ball off his foot in early September, batting just .140 (14-for-100) with four home runs, 42 strikeouts, 12 walks and a .502 OPS in his first 27 games after coming off the injured list.
But over his last two games, he has shown signs of breaking out of the slump, which the Yankees need in a big way as they head into the postseason.
“Huge,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Couple walks, which tells you he’s seeing the ball well. Took some close pitches when he’s in hunt mode, which was good to see the ability to, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’ shut down. And then really clean one out like only G does. Get a couple [home runs] here the last couple days, hopefully something that gets him going because obviously when he gets through some of the darker times and gets to that other side, it’s pretty dynamic.”
After lining out in his first at-bat, Stanton drew walks in his second and third plate appearances.
Then, in the eighth inning, he demolished a 457-foot blast off of right-handed reliever Jonathan Hernandez, his 30th home run of the season, to put the Yankees up 3-1.
“Feeling more comfortable in my feet, in my legs, so good to work from and tune it up the next three [games] for sure,” Stanton said.
Stanton said he will likely sit out the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader before playing the nightcap. Then, after Wednesday’s regular-season finale, it’s on to the postseason, where Stanton will be looking to produce as consistently as he has in past Octobers.
“It’s what’s needed,” Stanton said. “Gotta get it done. [I’m] in a good spot.”
