The possibility of Giancarlo Stanton returning in time and at a good enough pace to help the New York Yankees down the stretch has become increasingly remote. The slugger has not played since April 24 because of a right calf strain, and just when he appeared close to returning, he suffered another strain, this time in his left calf, during a rehabilitation workout on August 20. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that the injury, although moderate, could keep him out for the remainder of the year, and the club ultimately confirmed it by moving him to the 60-day injured list on August 25.

That opening at designated hitter is exactly the type of hole Eugenio Suárez could have filled. The Venezuelan, placed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, August 25, became available for any team willing to claim him and take on the remainder of his contract over the following 48 hours. However, the Bronx club did not take advantage of the opportunity, as reporter Trent Rosecrans reported on his account that both the infielder and TJ Friedl went unclaimed during that period.

A low-risk financial gamble the Bronx club passed up

For the Yankees, the math was simple and involved very little downside. Suárez has at least $3 million remaining on his one-year, $15 million contract, a figure that is virtually insignificant for New York's payroll and well below what any power hitter would cost on the free-agent market at this point of the season. There would have been no prospects involved and no trade negotiations—just the opportunity to claim him directly off waivers.

On the field, Eugenio Suárez is hitting .208 with 19 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .705 OPS in 103 games this season. Those numbers look underwhelming at first glance, but Baseball Savant tells a different story: the Venezuelan has an average exit velocity of 88.6 mph, a 34.8% Hard-Hit rate, a .309 wOBA, a .282 xwOBA and a 10.6% Barrel rate, one of the highest marks among hitters with at least 300 official at-bats this season. In other words, he is still making hard contact, even if his batting average does not reflect it.

What the Venezuelan would have brought to the lineup

Beyond the numbers, the slugger would have provided something Giancarlo Stanton represented for the Yankees lineup: the constant threat of power and the ability to change a game with one swing at any point in the order.

With 261 home runs between 2018 and 2025, the sixth-highest total in Major League Baseball during that span, and coming off a 49-home-run season in 2025, the Venezuelan could have arrived at Yankee Stadium without the pressure of being an everyday starter. Instead, he could have served as a rotational DH option capable of providing consistent power in shorter stretches—something especially valuable with October already on the horizon.

For a team looking to cover the prolonged absence of one of its most feared bats, claiming "Geno" would have represented minimal financial risk and potentially a significant reward if the Venezuelan could have continued to capitalize on the quality of contact reflected in his advanced metrics.

What would the lineup look like?

1. Trent Grisham CF
2. Eugenio Suárez DH
3. Luis García Jr. 1B
4. Cody Bellinger LF
5. George Lombard Jr. SS
6. Spencer Jones RF
7. Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B
8. Austin Wells C
9. José Caballero 3B

Note: There could certainly be variations, since Eugenio Suárez can also play third base. With Ben Rice on the roster, the Yankees could rotate him and Jose Caballero depending on the opponent, prioritizing power over athleticism when needed.

Major Leagues Luis Arráez is seeking an unprecedented feat in MLB: His fourth batting title with four teams