The Yankees’ postseason outlook grew more intricate this week after Aaron Boone hinted at a surprising shift related to Giancarlo Stanton’s role. For much of the season, the Yankees leaned on Stanton as a designated hitter, preserving the star’s health while maximizing Aaron Judge’s availability in the outfield. However, as the playoff race tightens, Aaron Boone appears to be rethinking the plan.

It is a delicate balancing act. As per MLB insider Erik Castillo, the Yankees “would prefer Judge remain as their designated hitter, but the team is best optimized with both Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup. And Stanton, at this point in his career, can’t play outfield every day.” That leaves the manager walking a fine line between lineup optimization and long-period durability for two of his most powerful bats.

The shift became visible in Tuesday’s statement win against the Astros, where Stanton was once again slotted into left field. Aaron Boone’s move drew attention not only for its implications on the star’s workload but also for the ripple effects throughout the lineup. Most notably, red-hot infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. was pushed down to the seventh spot despite posting nine home runs and a scorching 1.132 OPS over his last 20 games.

The manager defended the decision as matchup-driven, preferring to shield Chisholm from left-handed star Framber Valdez. Yet his two towering home runs in the game made it clear Giancarlo Stanton is playing at a level where analytics take a backseat. “When a hitter is this hot, managers don’t just notice—they adjust,” one analyst said, highlighting Aaron Boone’s challenge of blending hot streaks with veteran considerations.

That is the tightrope Aaron Boone needs to walk heading into October. Can Stanton’s bat stay in the lineup without overexposing him defensively? Will Chisholm’s surge force a permanent reshuffle in the order? How will Aaron Judge’s own workload factor into the equation? For the team chasing postseason dominance, the manager’s lineup calculus could be the defining storyline.

However, Aaron Boone’s lineup shuffle is not the only issue hanging over the Yankees. Just as the offense finds its rhythm, defensive lapses are raising new concerns related to the team’s October readiness.

Beyond the Giancarlo Stanton debacle, Yankees’ defensive woes raise sustainability issues

The Yankees’ defense has become an uncomfortable subplot in an otherwise promising season. Ranking ninth in errors and just 21st in fielding percentage, the team’s fielding miscues have been difficult to ignore. Anthony Volpe guides the way with 18 errors, the second-most in the majors, while Jazz Chisholm is not far behind with 14, tied for seventh. Those data highlight a troubling lack of consistency from the infield.

Advanced metrics paint a slightly rosier picture—the Yankees sit 11th in defensive runs saved, buoyed largely by their pitching staff, which leads baseball with 16 DRS. Yet that power only masks deficiencies in everyday defensive execution. Aaron Boone’s decision to play Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield, paired with Judge’s health challenges, has only enhanced the cracks. For the team that already struggled with defense at the period of last season’s World Series run, the concern lingers: how long can the Yankees’ bats cover for their gloves?

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The Yankees could boast one of MLB’s most explosive offenses, but defensive lapses and Boone’s lineup dilemmas could prove costly in October. Balancing Stanton’s role while shoring up the field is vital for a deep run. Stay tuned as New York’s playoff path grows more unpredictable by the day.