Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton caps strong ALDS series in style

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A few more playoff games like this and no one will be able to complain about Giancarlo Stanton's contract — or his baserunning.

Stanton had to take more early batting practice Thursday after hitting the go-ahead home run in Game 3.

And even though Stanton didn't go deep again in the decisive 3-1 win over Kansas City, the DH delivered again.

With a one-run lead, Stanton led off the start of the second with a 110 mph double down the right field line.

He was stranded in second place when Jazz Chisholm Jr. fumbled, Anthony Volpe spread to his right and Alex Verdugo ended up in first place.

But Stanton was able to extend the Yankees' lead in the sixth.

He followed Aaron Judge's leadoff double – when the Yankees' best hitter showed his first spark of the postseason at the plate – with a 116 mph single up the middle through a packed infield after Judge followed an Austin Wells groundout had moved up to third place.

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It gave the Yankees a three-run lead with Gerrit Cole on the mound.

Stanton's fingerprints were also visible throughout the Yankees' third win, when he scored three times and stunned his teammates with his first stolen base since 2020.

Every Thursday there was no basepath theft.

His success in October includes Thursday only trailing Babe Ruth in home run frequency among players with at least 100 playoff at-bats, with 12 home runs in 109 at-bats for a homer every 9 .08 ABs, while Ruth's odds were 8.60.

More importantly, the Yankees are 24-4 in Stanton's home runs this season, including the playoffs.

And with runs at a premium, Stanton has notched RBIs in three straight games.

Oddly enough, Stanton was taken out of the game by pinch-runner Duke Ellis after he intentionally walked with two outs in the eighth.

Chisholm struck out to end the inning and Stanton's night was over.

The Yankees' bullpen took care of the final two innings and they didn't need Stanton's bat the rest of the way.