Just in case anybody missed it:
Stanton was out of the lineup yesterday for rest purposes.
Bottom of the 8th, Yanks down 8-5, bases loaded and 2 outs, Hechavarria due up.
Fill-in manager Josh Bard (Boone serving one-game suspension) pinch-hits with Greg Bird. Bird flies out to end the inning.
After the game Bard is asked if Stanton was available to pinch-hit there.
I'll let Larry Brooks of the NY Post take it from there:
Bard...said Stanton was available.
“He was available but we wanted to make sure it was either to win the game …” Bard said, failing to complete the thought before pivoting to cite “the matchup” in explaining why he instead called on Greg Bird to hit for Adeiny Hechavarria in that spot against Victor Alcantara.
Um, but that was a situation in which Stanton could have won the game.