Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo show off visible stance changes since Sean Casey hire

Will the Yankees' offense bounce back to juggernaut status powered entirely by the bats who led the team into the toilet in June and July? No. No way. Come on.

Good news is that nobody in their right mind is even expecting that. This team is several bats and the return of Aaron Judge away from permanent relevance. All we're asking is for tangible steps forward in the meantime, for some little bit of proof in this mixed-up pudding that those in charge are trying to recapture the glory of the past.

Allow Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton to provide that glimmer of hope.

Since hitting coach Sean Casey's installation at the All-Star break -- and, probably more importantly, since getting a four-day chance to rest and recharge -- Stanton has looked much more like his prime form, hitting .222 with an .883 OPS+ and four homers. Rizzo has not -- before Sunday's four-hit afternoon against Kansas City, he'd been as homerless and directionless as ever in the preceding eight games.

Regardless of the results so far, visible, structural changes have been implemented by Casey and the staff for both hitters. As spotted on Sunday, both players have gone to more pronounced crouches, changing their eye levels and facilitating getting the front foot down.

Yankees sluggers Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton have changed their crouches under Sean Casey

It's too early to say both men have changed for the better. Hell, it's too early to say Rizzo's changed at all; his overall second-half output is still empty and bleak.

But some of Stanton's ferocity has returned after a first half spent stuck "rehabbing" from a mid-April injury and being thrown back into the fire without Aaron Judge as backup. Rizzo was finally able to snap out of his prolonged funk on Sunday and played as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted off his shoulders (and deposited onto Jordan Lyles').

Even former Yankee backup catcher Erik Kratz chimed in on the changes -- though he might've been insinuating both players were being weighed down by their heavy wallets.

Either way, they're lower, so mission accomplished.

Sunday's results should be taken with not just a grain of salt, but an entire silo. The Kansas City Royals are the Kansas City Royals, and Jordan Lyles is their least live arm. But add in DJ LeMahieu's .344 second-half average and opposite field game-winning home run on Saturday, and there are reasons for temporary optimism, brought on by noticeable tweaks perceived by the naked eye. All fans are asking for is a little compete and buy-in, and Casey and Co. appear to have delivered.