With the announcement of the American and National league All-Stars Sunday night, the candidates for the Final Vote were announced as well, and among that list was New York’s very own Giancarlo Stanton.
Despite a .222/.303/.410 start to the season through his first 29 games in 2018, Stanton has noticeably picked up the pace as the summer weather has kicked in. Entering Monday night, the 2017 NL MVP boasts an OPS of .852 while totaling 21 long balls, which currently sits as the 8th best in the AL. However, things could be looking even better for Stanton as the summer continues.
First tweeted out by Brendan Kuty of NJ.com, Stanton has 44 homers and 105 RBI to go with an OPS of .945 in his career for the month of July entering 2018. Now, with an average of over .350 in his last 15 games, he clearly is already on the upward trend, but if his 2017 July numbers are any indication of what’s to come then Yankee fans have a surplus of reasons to be excited.
In 25 games last July, Stanton posted a slugging percentage of .731 thanks to smashing 12 home runs in the all-star break shortened month. Not to mention that he followed that up with an astonishing August performance where he hit 18 homers, yes 18, while driving in 37 runs.
With two more hits Sunday afternoon, here’s a look at Stanton’s season through his first 85 games along with his full-season pace.
- 85 Games / 160 Games
- BA: .267 / .267
- OBP: .341 / .341
- SLG: .510 / .510
- OPS+ 127 / 127
- 2B: 16 / 31
- 3B: 1 / 2
- HR: 21 / 39
- RBI: 51 / 94
- SO: 120 / 220
- fWAR: 2.5 / 4.7
Although his numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, it’s hard to ignore how solid his overall production has been considering the aforementioned awful start he got off to. And all signs of his 2018 season and career point to him heating up with the warmer weather, which could very well lead to a 40/100 year for the Final Vote candidate’s inaugural season in pinstripes.
Giancarlo Stanton has been named an MLB All-Star Final Vote finalist! ⭐ pic.twitter.com/jjYo1Xanfc
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 9, 2018
Stanton will be competing for the final American league nod along division foe Andrew Benintendi of the Red Sox, Eddie Rosario (MIN), Jean Segura (SEA) and Andrelton Simmons (LAA). Click the link below to vote.