The Marlins have confirmed that Giancarlo Stanton has been shut down for the season in the aftermath of taking a pitch to the head last Thursday, the team announced on Wednesday. Stanton may get in a few at-bats in the instructional league, but the National League Most Valuable Player contender's season is officially over.
Giancarlo Stanton officially shut down for season
Having suffered multiple facial injuries, Stanton may get in some instructional league time, but his 2014 major league season is over.
Stanton suffered multiple injuries, including facial lacerations, fractures, and dental damage, when Brewers pitcher Mike Fiers nailed him in the fifth inning on Sept. 11. Stanton was hitting .299/.395/.555 (159 OPS+) with 37 home runs and had been touted by some as the NL MVP. Even with the truncated season, Stanton recorded the fourth-best campaign by a Marlins player according to WAR, his final 6.4 trailing only Hanley Ramirez in 2009 and 2008 and Cliff Floyd in 2001.
Stanton is one more strong season from being the most valuable player in Marlins team history and is tied with Dan Uggla for the team lead in career home runs with 154. This is less impressive than it sounds given that the Marlins typically trade anyone good as soon as they start making any money at all. Thus, of the other members of the top 10 in home runs after Uggla, Hanley Ramirez is now with the Dodgers, Mike Lowell finished with the Red Sox, Miguel Cabrera is with the Tigers, Derrek Lee and Preston Wilson departed after their age-27 seasons, and Gary Sheffield and Cliff Floyd moved out at 29. Jeff Conine came and went, talking of Michaelangelo. Twice.
According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Rawlings is working on several potential facial shields for Stanton to wear when he does play.
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