In the wake of a season — and World Series-ending crushing defeat, Giancarlo Stanton was asked his message for Yankees fans.
“Sorry we couldn’t get it done,” Stanton said after the 7-6 loss to the Dodgers in the deciding Game 5 in The Bronx. “We did everything we could.”
Stanton, especially, did everything he could.
The designated hitter stands alone.
Rarely is a Yankees franchise record set — especially considering the team’s illustrious past — but no one in the history of the Yankees has swatted more home runs in a single postseason than their slugging designated hitter.
“Individual performances don’t necessarily win championships,” said Stanton, who addressed the team in the clubhouse after the loss.
Stanton crushed a third-inning home run for his seventh dinger in 14 postseason games, a player who rises to the moment in October.
The Yankees blasted three home runs Wednesday, but they would not be enough to compensate for a fifth-inning defensive meltdown and a pair of Dodgers sacrifice flies in the eighth.
Stanton provided the fifth run of the Yankees’ night with the home run off Los Angeles’ Ryan Brasier and the sixth, final run of their season with a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth.
All year, Stanton harped upon situational hitting as an area he needs to focus upon.
With runners on the corners against overpowering righty Brusdar Graterol, Stanton managed to get under a first-pitch slider and send it to the warning track in left-center.
Juan Soto scored the run that might have made the difference if the Dodgers did not complete a comeback two innings later.
After a comeback season but not a particularly excellent one, Stanton flipped a switch in October.
He drove in a run in 10 of 14 games this month, 16 total, and was 16-for-59 (.271) while consistently coming through — except in his final try.
Stanton got a chance in the bottom of the eighth when he stepped to the plate with two on and the Yankees trailing by one.
He flew out to right, a last-ditch rally falling short.
Among the pending free agents who said they are interested in a return: Alex Verdugo, Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle.
Gleyber Torres was briefly in the clubhouse before leaving without addressing media.
With a walk in the second inning, Soto extended a 25-game postseason on-base streak that dates back to Game 2 of the 2022 wild-card series, when he was with the Padres.
Soto is tied with Boog Powell for fifth all time in a stat that Miguel Cabrera leads at 31 straight.
