Giancarlo Stanton receives a rude welcoming to New York as fans boo his five-strikeout performance. His Yankee debut did not go exactly as planned in the 11-4 victory game over the Tampa Rays on Tuesday. “You put up a performance like that, you should get some boos,” Stanton said to a group of reporters who surrounded him at his locker following his 0 for 5 afternoon.
The boos came in the bottom of the eighth inning as Stanton walked back to the Yankees’ dugout after swinging at a 77 mph slider from Tampa Bay Rays reliever Sergio Romo. It was his final strikeout of the game. The five strikeouts are a career-high for Stanton, who had four strikeouts 16 times prior to Tuesday. “Everyone’s been booed. It’s no big deal,” Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said. “He knows that. It’s just, you got to go out there and just do your job the next day.
If you don’t have it one day, you can’t complain, can’t mope – which he’s not. He knows how it is.” Luckily for Stanton, Didi Gregorius was batting clean-up right behind him, and had two three-run home runs and eight RBIs in total to lead New York in the win. “Good thing it’s not all about me,” Stanton said. “I was awful [Tuesday], but Didi picked me up and the rest of the guys. That’s what you need on a not-so-good-night for an individual.” The good news for Stanton is that he’ll have sufficient time to win over the crowd once again.
Stanton was named last season’s National League MVP after a major league-leading 59 home runs. He came to New York in the offseason via a trade with the Miami Marlins.
If Stanton hits as many homers over the short porch in right-field as everyone expects him to, those boos should turn into cheers rather quickly. If not, well, it can’t get much worse in New York, as Stanton seemed completely unfazed by the boos.