Giancarlo Stanton was instrumental in the New York Yankees’ crucial Game 3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, but if you only listened to TBS commentator Bob Costas, you might not have realized the impact Stanton had on the game.
Stanton broke open a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a clutch RBI double, putting the Yankees on the board. Later, in the eighth inning, Stanton came through again, launching a go-ahead home run to left-center field, marking his 12th career postseason home run in just 109 at-bats.
His powerful performance underlined his importance to the Yankees, especially in high-pressure situations.
Despite Stanton’s heroics, Costas chose to highlight the slugger’s perceived shortcomings rather than his game-changing contributions. Toward the end of the broadcast, Costas offered a critical assessment of Stanton’s current abilities, saying, “You look at Stanton. There are things he can no longer do. He doesn’t play the outfield at all, he’s strictly a DH. He can’t run much at all.”
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These remarks sparked outrage among MLB fans, many of whom took to social media to express their discontent with Costas’ harsh tone. Fans felt that Costas’ comments were not only unfair but also unprofessional, particularly given Stanton’s pivotal role in the Yankees’ victory.
One fan tweeted, “The way Bob Costas talks about Stanton is sending me. It sounds like he’s about to say Stanton should just take a gun and do us all a favor.” Another wrote, “Bob talkin’ about Stanton after a phenomenal game is insane to me.” The criticism of Costas continued, with a third fan commenting, “He sounds like he’s talking about putting down a racehorse or something,” while another observed, “This is incredibly unprofessional at this point. Darling sounds uncomfortable,” referring to Costas’ fellow commentator Ron Darling.
The uproar surrounding Costas’ comments quickly went viral, with fans rallying in defense of Stanton, who has been a key figure for the Yankees, especially in the postseason.
Despite his injury history and reduced role as primarily a designated hitter, Stanton continues to deliver in clutch moments, and many fans felt that his performance deserved praise, not criticism.
The Yankees now find themselves one win away from advancing to the ALCS. They will take on the Royals again on Thursday night in Game 4, with first pitch set for 8:08 p.m. ET.
All eyes will be on Stanton and whether he can once again rise to the occasion and help the Yankees clinch a spot in the next round.
