A New York Yankees slugger is at the center of debate again. One of Aaron Judge’s most expensive MLB teammates suffers from a persistent elbow injury. Even after a promising show in limited innings last year, an insider has flagged him as the club’s worst investment.

Giancarlo Stanton has been suffering from bilateral epicondylitis since 2024. He played 114 innings for the Yankees in 2024. Then it was reduced to only 77 last year. In a recent appearance, MLB insider Robbie Hyde mentioned the worst contracts for each team entering 2026. And named Stanton as the one from the Yankees due to his long history of injuries. 

“He’s had a lot of those over the last five years, and earlier this spring, he said he was having pain opening a bag of chips for crying out loud,” Robbie Hyde said. “I think it’s fair to wonder if he’s going to play enough games to justify the money that he’s owed.”

Hyde noted how the “Yankees owe him $50 million” over the next two years. And given his history, the slugger raises doubts about playing the full season. 36 years old. Both elbows are injured. Still recovering. And appearing in all 162 games and then some? That’s just too much to ask. 

For the record, Stanton originally had a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Marlins in 2014. The New York Yankees took over most of it after their 2017 trade. Currently, he is paid $29M a year, of which the Marlins cover $10M in subsidies. 

This reduced the burden. But the Yankees could have spent the $22 million per year in MLB luxury tax somewhere else. Imagine Stanton’s injury limits him to below 100 games this season again. The deal will be impossible to justify.

Stanton has missed 70 games in 2025. And he hasn’t had 420+ at-bats since 2021. The odds of his injury not barring a full season are next to none, especially given his decision to avoid surgery. 

Bilateral epicondylitis is chronic tendon inflammation. Surgery can help you recover in 12 weeks to 12 months, depending on the severity. But Stanton does not believe surgery can actually fix the issue with the swing mechanism. So, he has opted for pain management instead, baffling the hell out of people. 

His decision has put the Yankees in a tough position. Yet somehow they have managed to put their faith in him. It seems Stanton’s upside is still worth a gamble.

Why the Yankees still believe that Giancarlo Stanton can deliver in 2026

Giancarlo Stanton missed almost half the games in 2025. But his second half was exceptional. A .780 slugging percentage in 67 innings made him one of the most dominant hitters in the league. He hit his 450th career HR on September 20, making him the fifth-fastest in MLB history. 

24 homers in a season might not be elite. But doing that in just 77 games? Now that’s a smart gamble. It’s hard not to agree with Robbie Hyde when he said, “When healthy, we know it can be very productive.”

Now the real question is how to help him remain productive.

We have already seen the Blue Jays announcing how they are going to limit Trey Yesavage to 3-4 innings in the early season. Although it’s a different case, maybe the Yankees will do something similar for the 2024 ALCS MVP? His role as a solid power hitter might make him look like a steal after all. 

And if he stays healthy throughout the season? The best place to put him is as protection behind Aaron Judge. Opposition might avoid pitching aggressively around Judge. No intentional walks. Meaning, Judge sees more hittable pitches. The Yankees wouldn’t pass on that.

In a way, Giancarlo Stanton remains high risk, high reward for the Yankees. If he stays healthy, he can turn into a huge upside. But New York has to be cautious about using him. Either way, the contract debate will continue until Stanton has proven himself.