dailyloe.com – The New York Yankees have won seven of their first nine games in the 2026 season. They lead the Tampa Bay Rays by 2.5 games in the American League East. This strong start comes despite struggles from the bottom half of the batting order. Excellent pitching and contributions from hitters one through five have fueled the wins.
Giancarlo Stanton has had a particularly hot start to the season. He played only 77 games last season but performed well in those appearances. His current success follows legitimate concerns about his health. Stanton suffered a tennis elbow injury in 2025.
Reports indicated the Yankees slugger could not open a bottle or a bag of chips. The pain raised questions about his ability to return to baseball. Doubts existed about him returning to his normal self. His 2026 performance has looked different in terms of power so far.
Stanton has still proven useful in the top part of the Yankees lineup. He currently holds a slash line of .394/.429/.545 through eight games. This results in an absurd 182 wRC+ and 0.4 fWAR. It is a very small sample size but is noteworthy.
Stanton is leading the team in batting average, hits, and OPS. This strays significantly from his normal archetype as a power hitter. His success is primarily due to a different approach at the plate. He is focused on making contact instead of swinging for the fences.
A look at Stanton’s Statcast page suggests a changed approach. It includes slowing the bat down and making contact through the zone. He is also focused on hitting the ball in the air. His bat speed is down 1.4 mph since last season.
This has led to a lower average exit velocity. His max exit velocity is down almost two mph from last year. Stanton is getting the ball off the ground with a 72% air rate. His groundball rate sits at 28%.
Given his frame, he can still swing the bat at a fast pace. He can give the ball a good trip to the outfield when needed. Stanton is barreling the ball fewer times this season. However, he has his highest solid contact rate since 2021.
Even with a slightly altered approach, Stanton’s production is vital. The Yankees’ pursuit of another division title and a World Series is underway. Stanton’s hot start contributes to the team’s early success. His contact-focused method is yielding positive results.[]
Source: Yahoo Sports
