Giancarlo Stanton among MLB’s most expensive disappointments after problematic start.
TAMPA — In case there was any concern Giancarlo Stanton might have sacrificed some of his power by getting lighter over the offseason, ask the cars driving by on Dale Mabry Highway on Wednesday night.
They were all at risk when Stanton came to the plate for his first three at-bats against the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field, which resulted in 1,334 feet worth of home runs, a ticker-tape distance that somehow still felt light given the damage he inflicted on the baseballs.
Stanton made Pirates left-hander Marco Gonzales look like his batting practice pitcher for a Home Run Derby, clobbering the three home runs on a trio of low pitches right in his wheelhouse.
The 34-year-old Stanton is coming off the worst season of his career, and a parade of moonshots in a Grapefruit League game won’t be much help once the regular season starts next week.
“It is spring, but I haven’t hit three [in one game] before,” Stanton said. “It’s cool and it’ll be erased in about a week.”
But Stanton’s big night was indicative of how good he is feeling at the plate in his slimmed-down body.
Still a muscular specimen, Stanton arrived at spring training after an offseason in which his workouts were aimed at allowing him to “be a baseball player again.”
A month in, he has felt a difference moving around in general, but specifically with how he has been able to stay in his legs in the batter’s box.
