​Yankees’ $22 million Giancarlo Stanton contract is one of MLB’s worst originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Giancarlo Stanton is one of the top postseason performers of the last decade, but he’s rarely healthy. Stanton’s injuries have piled up over the years, and the New York Yankees can never assume that he will play over 100 games. The five-time All-Star will not come remotely close to 100 regular-season games played in 2026. Multiple calf strains have kept Stanton off the field since April. He will not surpass his 77 appearances from 2025 either. That’s why Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter listed Stanton’s contract as one of the worst in the Majors. Stanton’s contract is one of MLB’s worst”However, he has not played since April 24 after suffering a calf strain and then a setback in his recovery in June,” Reuter wrote. “He has resumed running and taking batting practice as he looks to return for the stretch run, but thus far he has done little to earn his salary.” Stanton’s $22 million salary is a massive overpay for a player who cannot stay on the field and will play in way less than half of New York’s contests. MORE: Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll joins only Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio in wild MLB historyHe proved he could make an impact when healthy, hitting 24 homers with a .944 OPS in 281 plate appearances in 2025. Stanton has 18 home runs in 48 career postseason games, and the Yankees offense could use a major boost before the calendar turns to October.Still, that’s a large commitment to an aging player who cannot stay on the field.  More MLB news:Brewers World Series odds look a bit bleak with MLB HR historyAstros expected to fire Joe Espada if they miss the postseasonDodgers update on Shohei Ohtani pitching again has major MVP implicationsDodgers and Mets predicted to be the only teams active in Tarik Skubal’s free-agent marketCardinals’ Joshua Baez just did something never done before in MLB history with a 3-HR debut