Joe Girardi says quiet part out loud about Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees' inability to stay healthy over the past couple of seasons has certainly contributed to the team not winning a World Series.

For the Yankees, there are two prime candidates who just haven't been able to stay healthy at all times, and it's arguably the two best players on their roster in Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Guys like Ben Rice have stepped up over the past year, but before Rice did what he has over the past two seasons, there was no debate that Stanton and Judge were the two most important players on this roster.

Once again this postseason, Judge and Stanton weren't able to be on the field much. Stanton got an at-bat and looked absolutely foolish against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS in Game 3. Judge didn't play in either the Wild Card Series or the ALDS.

Former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi had a lot to say about that, adding that he's not sure these guys are completely healthy and that, while the talent was there, injuries eventually did them in.

“I think health continues to haunt this team. I really do,” Girardi said, H/T Heavy.

“Look, you’re playing without Aaron Judge for four and a half months. Don’t have him in the playoffs. You don’t have Stanton for five months, he’s out. You lose guys during the course of the year… and they come back after 10 days, I’m not sure they’re completely healed. I believe the talent was there. I expected them to go further. But without Aaron Judge, it changes the whole complexion of the lineup.

“And even if he was somewhat not the typical Aaron Judge because he missed so much time, he still changes the lineup. They’re still careful, it’s one swing always from being a two-run or three-run home run… and I just don’t think they ever had their full lineup that they felt good about.”

As Girardi noted, even if Judge returned, it's not crazy to say he wouldn't be the same player we're used to seeing.

That's one of the unfortunate realities the Yankees had to face this postseason, and it may have been part of why they decided to keep him out.