The New York Yankees are about to have a tough decision on their hands. Giancarlo Stanton is progressing, and his return could complicate playing time for Ben Rice.
Ben Rice, who can play catcher and first base, has been the team’s designated hitter while Stanton recovers from elbow issues. However, according to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Stanton could return later this month. That would make it extremely difficult to find at-bats for Rice, who is hitting .254 with nine home runs. Aaron Boone has already ruled out a position change for Rice, and Stanton is borderline unplayable in the field.
ClutchPoints’ Zachary Howell suggested the idea of the Yankees trading Stanton to the Seattle Mariners. The move would come as an absolute shock, but would keep Rice in the Yankees lineup with no issues.
“Giancarlo Stanton is still waiting to make his 2025 debut, recovering from injuries in both of his elbows,” wrote Howell. “At this point in his career, Stanton presents an unfortunate truth. He will likely never make it through a full season ever again while playing in MLB. However, that doesn’t make him undesirable for a team looking for a surplus of talent, like the Mariners.”
Stanton’s injuries are frustrating, but he produced on the biggest stage last year. In the postseason, he hit seven home runs in the postseason and carried the Yankees’ offense. However, his return from injury would prevent their breakout star from playing. Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells have secured their jobs, and, without a position change, there would be no room for Rice.
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“When Stanton returns, Aaron Boone simply doesn’t have enough at-bats to go around, which makes Stanton potentially expendable,” wrote Howell.
The chances of Stanton getting traded are slim to none. However, if a team like the Mariners offered the Yankees one of their elite starting pitchers and some prospects, they may have to at least listen.
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