Yankees Sit Hottest Hitter Giancarlo Stanton For Surprising Busch Stadium Alignment

Stanton has been on a tear since early July, hitting .341 with 11 home runs and a 1.136 OPS over his last 27 games. The Yankees are 57–28 when he starts this year, 13–15 when he doesn’t. Still, Busch Stadium’s bigger right field is a challenge for someone who has only recently been playing defense again, and the Yankees weren’t going to push it.

Caballero’s start in right isn’t as random as it looks. He’s seen time there before and has the athleticism to handle it, but this is clearly a defense-first move. Boone’s priority is covering the outfield gaps at Busch, which run deeper than Yankee Stadium’s, while keeping Judge and Stanton healthy for the long run.

Goldschmidt’s absence from the starting lineup continues, but he’s available off the bench. That’s an encouraging sign after he sat out Wednesday with a sore right knee. The Yankees didn’t pull any infield prospects from the Triple-A lineup Friday, which tells you they’re not bracing for an IL stint.

If he’s able, Boone will almost certainly find a way to get Goldschmidt into a game this weekend. He’s sensitive to these kinds of moments—when Matt Carpenter returned to St. Louis with the Yankees in 2022, Boone made sure he got in and the crowd got their ovation.

Friday’s card might look strange, but it’s less about panic and more about managing the roster through a tricky stretch. The Yankees are betting they can steal a win with this alignment, then get back to something closer to their best nine by the end of the weekend.