Giancarlo Stanton strikes out in first Yankees at-bat in over five months why Aaron Boone liked what I saw

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla.

— The opportunity for Giancarlo Stanton finally arrived.His first at-bat in five-plus months just did not turn into a moment, but what Aaron Boone saw in it was one of the few things he liked in the Yankees’ 1-0 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday night at Tropicana Field.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

With the Yankees trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, and Rays righty closer Bryan Baker entering from the bullpen, Boone sent Stanton up to pinch hit for the left-handed-hitting Ryan McMahon to lead off the frame.Stanton, who last took an at-bat April 24 because of three separate calf strains, ended up striking out on five pitches.The veteran slugger fouled off the first pitch, took two balls and a strike, then foul-tipped a 96 mph fastball on the inner third into the catcher’s mitt for Strike 3.“Baker’s obviously had a great year,” Boone said.

“Really tough, really reverse [splits] guy.So not that I was going to hit for a lot of my lefties there, but felt the threat of Giancarlo — I thought he had a really good at-bat.

I thought he was on all [five] pitches.I thought he was seeing the changeup well.

I thought he got a good swing off right out of the bat.“I liked what I saw.He took the right at-bat.

He just didn’t clip it.So yeah, I’m going to take my shot with a hitter there and got [José Caballero] to run for him and we’ll take our shot right there.”Stanton had been 5-for-7 with one strikeout in his career against Baker, with the potential to tie the game on one swing, though it did not come to fruition.Ryan Weathers also made his first appearance since Aug.

22, relieving Gerrit Cole in the sixth inning and getting three groundouts to first base against three left-handed hitters.“I felt super healthy,” Weathers said.“Felt good.

Stuff was coming out really good.” Celebr...