Yankees can’t be using Giancarlo Stanton contract as an excuse to be idle this offseason

The Yankees better not be using Giancarlo Stanton’s contract as an excuse to stand pat.

The New York Yankees’ offseason silence is deafening and just about everyone is becoming fed up with it. Trading for Greg Allen and signing Jhoulys Chacin, Socrates Brito and Adam Warren really isn’t going to get anybody excited. Minor league depth? Yeah, nobody cares.

Just look at how enraged people were after the New York Mets traded for Francisco Lindor, who wasn’t even a primary target for the Yankees! Watching the Bombers stand pat and once again be reactive is allowing other teams to make moves and take more options away from general manager Brian Cashman.

The Yankees can cry about money all they want, but everybody suffered because of the pandemic. And if we’re being honest, the Yankees did this to themselves by trading for Giancarlo Stanton and his mammoth contract. And if they’re using that as an excuse not to make additions where they’re needed, then this franchise is going nowhere.

The organization’s decision to add a redundant player who costs nearly $30 million per year isn’t our problem. In fact, most people were scratching their heads when Stanton was acquired. Was it cool? Sure. Was it needed? Absolutely not. Once again, the Yankees needed pitching and they continue to bypass it. And if it was, at any point, going to hamstring their budget instead of supplement it, then it was an insane swing. You acquire Stanton at a discount with the intention of acquiring more.

Here’s what Bill Madden of the New York Daily News had to say about Stanton’s contract potentially affecting the Lindor/Carrasco trade:

"“For now anyway, Francisco Lindor, the effervescent superstar shortstop, becomes the new face of New York baseball. If you want to know why he’s a Met (along with durable high strikeout No. 2 starter Carlos Carrasco) and not a Yankee, the answer is can be summed up in two words:Giancarlo Stanton.The problem for the Yankees — which will remain a problem until 2026 — is the $30 million or so they are paying Stanton annually. This winter especially their December 2017 trade for him with Derek Jeter’s Marlins looms as perhaps the dumbest decision they ever made. Because there is no way they would have ever brought in Lindor at around $20M in his free agent walk year — much less make him their third $300 million player — and still signed LeMahieu.”"

We gather this is merely Madden’s opinion on the matter, but one can safely assume this could be among the concerning factors in the Yankees’ decision making.

The payroll is tight, yes, but it’s unacceptable for a team of the Yankees’ caliber to neglect glaring weaknesses because years ago they decided to make a bad financial decision. That’s not how you win.

This wouldn’t be a pertinent talking point if the team’s premier window to win a World Series wasn’t right now. The Yankees have 2021 and 2022 to get it done before even more problematic contract issues arise. Aaron Judge. Gary Sanchez. Arbitration raises for other key guys like Luke Voit, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier. The list goes on.

Spend now. Worry later. This isn’t the time for excuses or penny pinching. We really don’t want to have to keep bringing this up, either. But as long as the Yankees remain quiet, the louder the groans will become.

Yankees: Michael Kay’s frustrating response to Francisco Lindor trade says it all

New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay expressed his discontent with the team after the Mets traded for Francisco Lindor.