Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton felt discomfort in his hand during a June 26 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That discomfort was a broken hamate bone, which landed Stanton on the 15-day disabled list June 27 and will sideline the star slugger for at least a month.
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Stanton Reportedly Out 4-6 Weeks
Saturday, June 27
ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian (via SportsCenter) originally reported the diagnosis and recovery timeline for baseball’s home run leader, while Joe Frisaro of MLB.com added the outfielder would need surgery to repair the injury but noted the team doesn’t think there is ligament damage. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the team hoped the break was clean, which would mean the outfielder would be out closer to four weeks than six.
The team announced outfielder Cole Gillespie was called up to the majors to replace Stanton on the roster.
“On the swing, my bat dug into my hand a little bit,” Stanton said after Friday’s game, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. “Didn’t feel the greatest.”
Entering the evening, Stanton had been on a tear. Following Friday’s 0-for-4 showing, Stanton is still batting .344 with 12 home runs and 23 RBI in June. That’s wildly impressive compared to May, when Stanton batted a lowly .185 with nine home runs and 23 RBI. Thanks to his recent surge, Stanton’s season-long batting average has ticked up to .265. His 27 homers and 67 RBI continue to lead MLB.
An MVP finalist in 2014, Stanton’s season abruptly ended in September after a fastball from Brewers pitcher Mike Fiers hit him in the face. He suffered multiple face lacerations and fractures, and he missed Miami’s final 17 games while recovering.
Despite the injury, Stanton and the Marlins agreed to a historic 13-year, $325 million contract that is the richest in baseball history. The deal represented a stark deviation from Miami’s modus operandi, which typically sees Jeffrey Loria’s club trade away its stars before offering them long-term deals.
Stanton’s standing as the game’s best power hitter and a beloved figure in the Miami area helped change the team’s approach. However, the Marlins are still not in a position to have him sit out for an extended period of time. His contract, despite it being back-loaded, makes the Marlins thinner in other positions they may otherwise have been able to fill.
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