Stanton’s new reality: he ain’t in Florida now!
DGiancarlouring his days in South Beach,
Stanton and his teammates rarely had to worry about homeopeners being postponed unless the Florida rain created a lake in the Marlins Park outfield.
The new Yankee slugger got his first taste of baseball games scheduled during April in the northeast after snow blanketed the Yankee Stadium field early Monday, causing the Bombers' home opener to be postponed until Tuesday at 4:05 p.m.
“Exactly like it,” Stanton joked when asked if the “snow-out” compared with anything he had ever witnessed in Miami.
Stanton took to his Instagram account Monday morning and posted a short video of the wintry wonderland from the vantage point of the Stadium home dugout, along with a snowman emoji and the caption: “Since the game is cancelled I’m About to go streaking.” Stanton’s female admirers probably came close to breaking the internet replaying the post.
In the confines of the Yankee clubhouse, Stanton told reporters that when he peeked out at the snow early Monday, he was still “ready to go” and was prepared to suit up in pinstripes for the first time in a regular-season game.
“You’ve got to keep the same mindset that we’re ready to play until you get confirmation. I’ve had times where I look out and I’m like, ‘There’s not a chance . ... ’ Then you kick back a little bit and sure enough, you're out there playing,” said Stanton, who has Alex Rodriguez’s old locker.
Rookie manager Aaron Boone said both Stanton and Aaron Judge would play in the outfield (Stanton in left, Judge in right) at
least the next two games.
Stanton smiled when asked how his swing will fit at the Stadium and its short porch in right field. “Think it fits nice,” he said.
Stanton has played at Yankee Stadium just once before, during a June 2015 Marlins twogame series in the Bronx. In eight at-bats, he was 2-for-8 with a home run, two strikeouts and a run scored. Stanton said Yankee fans “didn’t give me a hard time” and that he enjoyed their “enthusiasm.”
“Yeah, it’s gonna be fun,” Stanton said of playing in the Bronx this season. “The atmosphere, hitting here. Looking forward to it.”
JURY STILL OUT
Boone said Judge is “real close” to getting his timing back having left shoulder surgery during the offseason. Judge, the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year after clubbing 52 homers, went 3-for-15 with three walks and no home runs during the four games in Toronto. “I thought Toronto pitched (Judge) pretty tough,” said Boone. “A lot of those pitches that they got him on were perfectlyexecuted pitches. He’s still finding his way on base. I think he’s good. Even though he didn’t light it on fire the first weekend, he still manages to get on base.”
WARREN NEARING RETURN
Reliever Adam Warren, who left Saturday’s game in Toronto with a right ankle contusion after being hit by a comebacker, may be available Tuesday, according to Boone.
THE FULL MONTY
Lefty Jordan Montgomery will pitch in the rescheduled home opener opposite Rays ace Chris Archer. Montgomery was supposed to start Monday. Boone said there was discussion with pitching coach Larry Rothschild about starting Luis Severino on Tuesday instead, but they decided to stick with Montgomery . . . . Boone said for the next two games, Gary Sanchez will remain behind the plate.